(Reuters) - Belgium midfielder Eden Hazard will be sidelined for three months after having surgery on a fractured ankle suffered in training on Sunday that ruled him out of this week's international matches, according to his club, Chelsea.
The 26-year-old Hazard, who scored 16 goals and provided five assists to help Chelsea win this season's Premier League, will miss the friendly against Czech Republic on Monday and a World Cup qualifier against Estonia on June 9.
"Eden Hazard successfully underwent surgery today after sustaining a fracture to his right ankle while training with the Belgian national team. He is expected to return to training in approximately three months," Chelsea said in a statement.
Hazard tweeted a picture of himself in a hospital bed with a message saying: "Everything went well with my ankle operation, now I start the road to recovery! I will be stronger."
Belgium have won four out of their five 2018 World Cup qualifying matches to lead Group H on 13 points, two points ahead of second-placed Greece.
(Reporting by Aditi Prakash in Bengaluru. Additional reporting by Ken Ferris in London; Editing by John O'Brien, Larry King)
