Aston Villa is likely to receive huge compensation from FIFA following their star’s serious injury at the World Cup.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has almost completed the Round of 16, with only two fixtures left: Argentina vs Egypt and Switzerland vs Colombia. Unfortunately, the final game at this stage, in which Belgium ran rampant against co-hosts USA, brought horror for Aston Villa as one of the players in the squad, Amadou Onana, had to leave the pitch early.
The defensive midfielder reportedly suffered a serious injury, which saw him replaced in the 19th minute of the game. His World Cup is likely to be over despite Belgium’s progression, as he has suffered an anterior cruciate ligament rupture. Such an injury would likely keep him on the sidelines for a considerable period, which is certainly not good news for Unai Emery’s side.
Following Onana’s injury, the Lions are set to receive significant compensation, as reported by Birmingham Mail.
“While it is a nightmare situation for the player and club, World Cup organisers FIFA will pay Villa compensation through its Club Protection Programme.”
The FIFA Club Protection Programme was initially launched in 2012. The programme provides up to £6.4 million in compensation for each injured player. A club can receive up to £17,500 per day for a maximum of 365 days.
The total compensation is paid according to the injured player’s salary. If a player earns £6.4 million or less per year, FIFA covers the full salary. However, if the player earns more than that annually, the club receives the maximum compensation of £6.4 million. Aston Villa is likely to receive the latter amount, considering Onana’s annual salary. He currently earns £7.2 million per year with the Claret and Blue.
Onana appears to be prone to injuries. During his time at Villa Park, he has suffered nine injuries, five of which were hamstring injuries. The other four were a foot injury, a muscle injury, a knee injury and a calf problem. The Belgian international, who joined Villa in the 2024/25 season, had suffered only two injuries during his spells with Everton and Hamburger SV.
The longest lay-off of his Villa career came during the early stages of the 2025/26 campaign. Onana suffered a hamstring injury that kept him sidelined for two months, from August to October. He missed nine matches during that period.
Prior to being called up for the World Cup, Onana had been sidelined for 19 days with a calf problem, causing him to miss four Villa matches, including the Europa League semi-finals. His absence saw Victor Lindelöf deployed as a defensive midfielder to fill the gap.
It was his fifth injury in a single season, and he missed 20 Aston Villa matches in total during the last campaign. As a result, the midfielder, who has earned 33 international caps, was not fully fit heading into the tournament despite featuring in four matches so far.
His latest setback is likely to force Emery to consider signing another player capable of filling the void. Ideally, Villa would recruit a versatile option who can also operate as a defensive midfielder, with Onana expected to remain on the sidelines for several months, excluding his recovery period.
The post Aston Villa to receive significant compensation on their star’s injury appeared first on AVillaFan.com – Aston Villa Fan Site.
