Belgium captain Youri Tielemans has been ruled out of the World Cup quarter-final against Spain after sustaining a hamstring injury during the warm-up. The Aston Villa midfielder, 29, had started all five of Belgium's World Cup matches this summer and scored twice in their 3-2 victory over Senegal in the round of 32.
Injury Strikes Before Kick-off
Tielemans pulled out of the pre-match warm-up and was seen returning to the dressing room accompanied by a member of Belgium's medical staff. According to the BBC, the injury is a hamstring issue, but the full extent is not yet known. Hans Vanaken has replaced Tielemans in the starting lineup, while Kevin De Bruyne has been named captain for the match.
Belgium's Injury Woes Continue
Belgium entered the match already dealing with a major injury blow: Aston Villa teammate Amadou Onana was ruled out for the remainder of the World Cup due to a torn ACL. If Belgium defeat Spain on Friday night, they will face France in the semi-final on July 14.
