World Cup
Amadou Onana's painful World Cup exit and Instagram confession
In the 21st minute of the round‑of‑16 clash with the United States, Amadou Onana collapsed to the turf, the sound of his teammates' shouts echoing as the Belgian midfielder felt the snap of his cruciate ligament. The injury ended his World Cup campaign, a devastating WK‑uitschakeling that he later described as his whole world falling apart.
Onana confirmed for the first time that the ligament tear occurred during the match against the United States. Medical scans later verified a complete cruciate rupture, ruling him out for the remainder of the tournament.
He went down in minute 21, and the diagnosis confirmed that his World Cup was over. The early exit deprived the Belgian side of a key midfielder for the knockout stages.
Despite the injury, Onana remained in the United States to back his fellow Red Devils. He was regularly spotted on crutches, encouraging the squad from the sidelines.
A few days after the match, the midfielder took to Instagram to share his thoughts. He wrote that the injury had shattered his world, but he vowed to recover and support his teammates.
Onana's openness highlights the physical toll of high‑stakes tournaments on young players. His determination to stay with the Belgian team may inspire others facing similar setbacks.