Belgian Midfielder Junior Malanda Dies in Car Accident at Age 20

Promising Wolfsburg midfielder and Belgium youth international Junior Malanda passed away on Saturday after he was involved in a car crash in Germany.

Continue for updates.

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New Details Emerge from Malanda Accident

Monday, Jan. 12

The Associated Press provided new details regarding the accident that killed Junior Malanda, via FoxSports.com:

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Police say Wolfsburg midfielder Junior Malanda was not wearing a seat belt when he was thrown from a speeding car and killed as it crashed in heavy rain.

Malanda was a back-seat passenger when the driver of the SUV lost control and the vehicle skidded off a slippery highway on Saturday and overturned several times. Malanda, a 20-year-old Belgium youth international, was pronounced dead on the spot.

Bielefeld police said Monday the vehicle was traveling ''at a speed unsuitable for the weather conditions'' and that they have opened a manslaughter probe.

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Malanda Dies in Car Accident

Saturday, Jan. 10

The official Twitter account of the Belgian national team confirmed the news of Malanda's death:

The 20-year-old moved to German club Wolfsburg in 2013, but spent the 2013-14 season on loan in his native Belgium, playing for Zulte Waregem. A powerful midfielder, he was widely regarded as one of the top talents emerging from Belgium's successful youth program.

The football world was shocked by the news of his passing, as Bundesliga Spotlight shared:

According to German newspaper Bild (via the Mirror), the accident happened near Porta Westfalica. Malanda was on his way to the airport to partake in training camp with Wolfsburg in South Africa. Per Bild, Malanda was in the back seat of the vehicle, which "cleared a guardrail on the side of the road and crashed into a tree," according to the Mirror's translation.   

Wolfsburg and Belgium teammate Kevin du Bruyne took to Instagram to express his sadness, with the caption, "So strange to hear your friend in the morning and then hear this news. Lost a great friend way to early. Rest in peace my friend. You will always be around":

Bayern Munich star Mario Gotze was one of many Bundesliga stars shocked by the news:

Malanda overcame a difficult start to the 2014-15 season to emerge as one of Wolfsburg's most consistent performers in December, and he looked primed for a breakthrough year in 2015.