Ahead of Belgium's Euro 2016 campaign where the Red Devils face Ireland in the group stage, Vincent Kompany has been forced to rule himself out of the tournament having suffered an injury in Manchester City's 1-0 defeat to Real Madrid.
The 30-year-old took to his official Facebook account to break the bad news to Belgian fans, and released an emotional statement in which he announced he 'trusted' his fellow countrymen to do Belgium proud in France, and that he would be travelling to support the team.
Kompany's injury might present itself as a boost for Ireland's chances (let's be honest - you'd rather him not be in the team, but perhaps not in such unfortunate circumstances), but as well as Belgium it will also come as a blow to Manchester City, who have United breathing down their neck in the race for the top four ahead of the visit of Arsenal tomorrow.
Kompany told his fans:
I'll miss the Euros.
To me that's very sad news.
So I could be standing here, feeling sorry for myself. I could fear for my career, as others may do. I could give up.
That is not me.
I decide on my future .
There is a bigger picture to everything in life and only failing to see it, will cause me to fail.
I am a hard worker and a fighter and if you are too, then you know that, to people like us, success can come in many forms. We trust ourselves when the going gets tough.
I have the greatest respect for those who overcome their personal challenges in life with a positive attitude.
I want to live up to that.
So I remain calm and positive. I will continue to follow my path and I will do so with more conviction than ever.
I trust my friends and teammates to do well and do us proud at the next European Championships in France. I am now officially their most fervent supporter and I will be there to support them.
Written from my hospital bed,
Never giving up,
Vincent Kompany
In the captain's absence, it's likely that Jan Vertonghen will join Tottenham teammate Toby Alderweireld in the centre of Belgium's defence, but they also have the experience of Thomas Vermaelen and Nicolas Lombaerts along with the inexperienced but prodigious talents of Jason Denayer to call upon.
Vermaelen, however, will likely be preferred by Marc Wilmots at left-back where the Belgians are short of numbers, which means Kompany's injury does still leave their reserves in the middle somewhat stretched should anything happen to Zenit St. Petersburg's Lombaerts in particular.
It's unclear as to when Kompany will return to action, but it certainly adds to the notion that the injury Gods are smiling down on Ireland.
