Belgium's Jan Vertonghen ruled out of Euro 2016 with ankle injury
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Updated 30/06/2016 at 17:36 GMT
Belgium defender Jan Vertonghen has been ruled out of Euro 2016 with an ankle injury which may keep him out for up to eight weeks.
Belgium's Jan Vertonghen in action at Euro 2016
Image credit: Reuters
Vertonghen tore ankle ligaments during training and could now be sidelined for six to eight weeks.
It represents bad news for Belgium, who are set to face Wales in their Euro 2016 quarter-final match at Lille on Friday, adding to a list of injuries in their already defensively frail side.
Vertonghen was already intended to move into central defence alongside Tottenham team-mate Toby Alderweireld, to cover for the suspended Thomas Vermaelen.
"Jan is out for the Euros," Belgium coach Marc Wilmots told reporters on Thursday. "His Euro is over, he's twisted his ankle.
"I was about to whistle for the end of training, he received a ball in front of me and fell to the ground clutching left ankle."
Vertonghen underwent a scan and has torn two of his three external ligaments.
"It will take six to eight weeks," Wilmots added. "It was an accident, happened all alone this morning in the last minute of training.
"Sadly, destiny has decided that he's done an action we do 10,000 times, his ankle turns and the ligament is torn."
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