Amadou Onana faces nine‑month lay‑off after Lyon surgery

Belgian international Amadou Onana will miss roughly nine months of football after a successful left‑knee operation in Lyon, the 24‑year‑old Aston Villa midfielder underwent following an anterior cruciate ligament rupture in the WK round‑of‑16 against the Verenigde Staten.

The operation took place on Tuesday, with surgeons in Lyon confirming the procedure was successful on his left knee. Medical staff expect a rehabilitation period of around nine months before he can return to competitive action.

Onana suffered the injury early in the first half of the WK round‑of‑16 match against the Verenigde Staten, tearing his anterior cruciate ligament. The damage forced him off the pitch after only a few minutes of play.

He had begun the tournament as a starter for Belgium, but the injury relegated him to a substitute role. He was replaced after roughly twenty minutes of the United States game.

Belgium progressed to the quarter‑finals, where they were knocked out by eventual champions Spain. The defeat ended their World Cup campaign.

Aston Villa confirmed that Onana will miss virtually the entire upcoming football season. The club will need to cope without their midfield option for the duration of his recovery.

The news was first reported with a © Getty Images via AFPBelgisch photograph. The image captures the player in a post‑match setting.

Fans have been urged to make him their Google-favorietOnana despite the setback. Supporters hope his return will be swift once rehabilitation is complete.