Senne Lammens' World Cup ended in heartbreak on Friday when an error against Spain saw Belgium eliminated. The 24-year-old Manchester United goalkeeper replaced Thibaut Courtois in the second half after an injury, but spilled Pau Cubarsi's 88th-minute shot, allowing Mikel Merino to score the winner for Spain. It was only Lammens' third cap for Belgium.
Previous Error Against Liverpool
This is not the first high-profile mistake Lammens has made. In a crucial Premier League match against Liverpool in May, a poor pass from Lammens led to Cody Gakpo scoring. However, United still won that game, securing a return to the Champions League. Lammens shrugged off the error and performed excellently in the final three matches of the season.
Mentality Praised by Carrick
Lammens' mentality has been widely praised. Michael Carrick said after an outstanding performance at Everton in February: "The jump that he's had is a big jump, no disrespect. It's a huge jump for the one he made and to take it like he has done and just get on with things speaks volumes of his personality." This resilience is expected to help him overcome the World Cup disappointment.
Lammens joined Manchester United after just 64 games for Royal Antwerp in Belgium's top flight. Despite the steep step up, he was almost faultless in his first season at Old Trafford. The club believes he will put this mistake behind him when he reports for pre-season training in three weeks.
