Vincent Kompany is a doubt for the World Cup after suffering a groin problem in Belgium’s goalless draw with Portugal in Brussels.
The 32-year-old defender will undergo a scan on Sunday to determine the extent of the latest in a long line of injury setbacks.
Kompany is danger of missing out for Belgium who launch their World Cup campaign against Panama on June 18 – before taking on Gareth Southgate‘s England 10 days later.
Here’s a look at Kompany’s injuries going back to the 2015-16 season when he missed much of the campaign.
15/09/2015
Leaves the field after 75 minutes of the Champions League loss to Juventus at the Etihad Stadium. The score is 1-1 at the time but City are eventually beaten 2-1. Kompany initially says the injury is “not serious” and his substitution is “just a precaution” but he does not play again for a month.
13/10/2015
Plays in Belgium’s Euro 2016 qualifier against Israel against City manager Manuel Pellegrini’s wishes.
Pellegrini claims it has hampered his recovery and the player is put on the bench for the next two City games. He does not appear in the first of them and comes on only in the 89th minute in the second.
08/11/2015
Plays 90 minutes in a goalless draw at Aston Villa but just days later he pulls out of the Belgium squad as a precaution, citing more calf trouble. He ends up missing City’s next eight games.
26/12/2015
Returns to action as a 62nd-minute substitute against Sunderland, but his comeback lasts just nine minutes.
He suffers a bad reaction and does not play again until February 14.
15/03/2016
Just seven games into his latest comeback, he injures his calf again, pulling up in the early minutes of City’s Champions League last-16 second-leg clash against Dynamo Kiev. Pellegrini says he will be out for a “minimum of one month”.
04/05/2016
Limps off in the early stages of City’s 1-0 defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-final second leg and misses out on Belgium’s participation in Euro 2016.
19/10/2016
Misses City’s 4-0 defeat at Barcelona as a precaution because of a groin problem. He had returned from the injury with a brief substitute appearance in the 1-1 draw with Everton the previous weekend.
19/11/2016
Damages his knee ligaments in the 2-1 win at Crystal Palace and undergoes specialist treatment in Spain but does not return until the 3-0 FA Cup win against the same opponents on April 15, scoring one goal.
Injuries restrict him to 16 appearances throughout the season, including Belgium’s 2-0 win in Estonia in a World Cup qualifier in June.
29/12/2017
Hits a seat in the dugout in frustration following his latest injury setback after limping off with a calf problem just 11 minutes into City’s 1-0 victory at Newcastle. Ends another injury-hit season with 22 appearances.
02/06/2018
A groin injury in the 0-0 draw against Portugal in a pre-World Cup friendly in Brussels puts his involvement in Russia in doubt with coach Roberto Martinez due to slim his 28-man squad down to 23.
Kompany had coped with muscle and knee problems during City’s title-winning season only to suffer more injury heartache on the international scene.
Provided by Press Association Sport