Onana tears ACL in Belgium's win over USA, ruled out for rest of World Cup

Amadou Onana’s World Cup is over after the Belgium midfielder ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during Monday’s 4-1 round-of-16 win over the United States, the Belgian football federation confirmed in an official statement.

Onana went down in the 19th minute and was replaced two minutes later by Hans Vanaken, who went on to score one of Belgium’s four goals. Medical examinations carried out after the match confirmed the ACL tear in his right knee.

“This is devastating news,” said Belgium team doctor Brahim Hacene, “both for him personally and for the team.”

The 24-year-old had appeared in four matches at this World Cup, making his second start of the tournament against the USA. He also featured in two games at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and scored in a 5-2 warmup win over the United States in March. Onana has been with Aston Villa in the Premier League since 2024, having previously played for Everton.

Hacene said the federation had already begun coordinating with the player’s club on his recovery. “We immediately consulted with Amadou and with Aston Villa to agree on the best approach to his recovery,” he said. “Over the coming days, we will jointly determine the next steps in his medical treatment and rehabilitation.”

Despite the injury, Onana will remain with the squad as Belgium prepare to face 2010 champion Spain in the quarterfinals on Friday at Los Angeles Stadium, with a place in the last four against France or Morocco at stake.

The federation confirmed there are no other significant injuries in the Belgium camp. Midfielder Jérémy Doku, whose fitness has been managed carefully throughout the tournament, came off the bench on Monday and took part in Tuesday’s training session. Kevin De Bruyne, who did not feature against the USA, also trained.