Overview
- Onana left Belgium’s round-of-16 win over the United States early after twisting his knee in a duel and was substituted, a scene that unfolded during the match on Tuesday.
- Coach Rudi Garcia immediately called the injury serious and said he feared Onana would miss the next game, with the team awaiting formal medical confirmation.
- Media outlets citing The Athletic reported that scans showed an anterior cruciate ligament tear with an expected recovery of about seven months, though those reports were not presented as an official team medical release in the cited articles.
- Teammates rallied publicly for Onana after the match as he left on crutches with a knee brace, gave an emotional halftime address, and players including Romelu Lukaku held up his No. 24 shirt in tribute.
- If the reported seven-month timetable is accurate, Onana would miss Belgium’s quarterfinal against Spain and much of the following club season, and Belgium must now adjust its midfield plans while the player and Aston Villa plan next steps in his rehabilitation.