Hockey World Cup: Pool B topper Belgium suffers big blow with Hendrickx injury

In the sixth minute of the game, Hendrickx twisted his right knee during a penalty corner attempt and went down on the turf. He was forced off the pitch and was seen on the bench with an icepack around his knee.

File Photo: The 29-year-old Hendrickx will be crucial to Belgium’s chances as it heads into the knockout stages.  | Photo Credit: AP Photo/John Locher

Belgium suffered a big blow with an injury to dragflick specialist Alexander Hendrickx in the win over Japan in the final Pool B World Cup game here at the Birsa Munda International Stadium on Friday.

In the sixth minute of the game, Hendrickx twisted his right knee during a penalty corner attempt and went down on the turf. He was forced off the pitch and was seen on the bench with an icepack around his knee.

Hendrickx was the joint top-scorer in Belgium’s double win in the 2018 World Cup in Bhubaneswar and topped the charts in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics with 7 and 14 goals, respectively.

Belgium head coach Michel van den Heuvel said, “We will address the injury in the next couple of days, and we need more information on the situation.”

The 29-year-old Hendrickx will be crucial to Belgium’s chances as it heads into the knockout stages.