Amadou Onana: Belgium and Aston Villa player had a tear

Amadou Onana: Belgium and Aston Villa player suffered a tear

Belgium and Aston Villa player Amadou Onana has torn the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee while playing for his national team at the FIFA World Cup. The incident happened 21 minutes after the start of the round of 16 against the United States, a match that ended 4-1 in favor of Belgium. According to a report from the Belgium team, Onana got into trouble after he tried to reach the ball first before Christian Pulisic of the United States. He fell clutching his right knee; he was first treated on the pitch before walking off, and was later seen using crutches and with a knee brace. In a statement, Belgium's team doctor Brahim Hacene described the news as "extremely sad". According to him, "Medical tests confirmed that Amadou suffered a tear in the anterior cruciate ligament. We immediately spoke to Amadou and Aston Villa to agree on the best way for him to recover. In the coming days, joint cooperation will be done to determine the next steps in his medical treatment and rehabilitation. We will continue to give Amadou our full support."

Belgium made it clear that Onana will remain in their camp for the quarter-final against Spain in Los Angeles. Typically, partial tears or tears of the ACL mean a player is out of action for between six and nine months, depending on the severity of the injury and when surgery and rehabilitation will be performed. Onana's injury comes before the start of the new season for his club, Aston Villa, who qualified for the Europa League and finished fourth in the Premier League in 2025-26 and will enter the Champions League competition. Onana joined Villa from Everton in July 2024 for £50m, and made 38 appearances for the Midlands club last season, scoring two goals. At national level, Onana started Belgium's first game of the tournament, a 1–1 draw against Egypt, and came on as a substitute in wins against New Zealand and Senegal. His loss will leave a huge gap in Belgium's midfield and provide an extra challenge to the manager's plans as the World Cup continues. Belgium and Aston Villa's medical team will monitor Onana's progress while taking the necessary steps for his surgery and rehabilitation; until there is an official announcement from the club or national team, the released details will remain official only.

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