Vincent Kompany has withdrawn from the Belgium squad for the friendlies against Italy and Spain and will be replaced by Steven Defour, manager Marc Wilmots has announced.
On Wednesday, Wilmots sought to play down fears over the Manchester City defender's fitness after he trained away from the main group for a second consecutive day.
But a day later the coach confirmed on his personal Twitter account that Kompany would not be available for his side's first two Euro 2016 warm-up matches.
He tweeted: "Vincent Kompany leaves the squad, out for Italy and Spain. Steven Defour joined the group this afternoon."
A short time later, Wilmots told a press conference that Kompany was suffering from a tightening of the calf muscle that has troubled his captain over recent seasons.
"Kompany has left us as he took a hit in the last game with City," he said. "He had a contracture in the calf. It was better that he returned to his club. He wished us good luck.
"Kompany has already been working on muscle building for two or three years. Here, he felt a spasm."
Earlier this season, Kompany was sidelined for a month by a calf injury and found himself at the centre of a club-versus-country row when he made his return by playing in Belgium's final Euro 2016 qualifier against Israel – against the wishes of City manager Manuel Pellegrini.
Pellegrini named Kompany on the bench for City's next two matches before restoring him to the starting line-up for the 0-0 draw against Manchester United on October 25.
City host Liverpool when the Premier League returns after the international break on November 21.
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