INGLEWOOD, California — Just hours before Belgium’s high-stakes 2026 FIFA World Cup quarterfinal showdown with Spain, the Belgian national team has been dealt a devastating late injury blow. Star midfielder and team captain Youri Tielemans was pulled from the starting lineup minutes before kickoff on Friday after sustaining an unexpected injury during the final pre-match warmup sessions.
stepping into Tielemans’ spot in the starting XI is Hans Vanaken, a versatile midfielder who has already proven his offensive punch off the bench in this tournament. The last-minute change marks yet another major hit to Belgium’s already depleted depth chart, which has been ravaged by injuries throughout the knockout stage.
Tielemans, who plies his club trade with Aston Villa in the English Premier League, has been a foundational two-way contributor for the Belgian side, nicknamed the Red Devils, throughout the World Cup campaign. His impact was on full display in the round of 32, where his two goals powered Belgium’s dramatic 3-2 comeback win over Senegal that secured their spot in the knockout round.
Vanaken is no stranger to stepping up when called upon: the experienced midfielder came off the bench to find the back of the net in Belgium’s lopsided 4-1 round of 16 victory over the United States this past Monday. This is not the first injury-enforced change to Belgium’s starting group this tournament either: Vanaken was already tabbed as a regular replacement for Amadou Onana, who was ruled out for the remainder of the World Cup after suffering a torn knee ligament against the U.S.
The Red Devils have also been forced to compete without promising young defender Zeno Debast, who picked up a leg injury earlier in the tournament. His club, Sporting CP, has held him out of all match action to prevent further damage to the injury.
On a small positive note for Belgium, star playmaker Kevin De Bruyne made his return to the starting lineup against Spain after being rested for the round of 16 match against the United States, a game the Red Devils ultimately won comfortably.