New Delhi: Thibaut Courtois, one of the world’s top goalkeepers, announced on Thursday that he will no longer represent the Belgium national team while Domenico Tedesco remains in charge. Courtois, who has been a cornerstone for Belgium over the years, made this decision after a prolonged disagreement with the current head coach, which saw him left out of the squad for the European Championship.
In a social media post, the Real Madrid goalkeeper expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to represent Belgium, stating, “I feel privileged to have had the honour of wearing the national jersey. Not even in my wildest dreams could I have imagined being able to do so more than 100 times.” However, he made it clear that his lack of trust in Tedesco is the primary reason for his departure. The Belgian FA has accepted his decision and the reasons behind it.
Courtois’ decision marks the end of an era for Belgium, with the 32-year-old goalkeeper playing a key role in their successes over the last decade, including their third-place finish at the 2018 World Cup. Despite his recovery from injury to help Real Madrid secure another Champions League title in June, the rift with Tedesco has made it impossible for him to continue with the national team. Let’s take a closer look at what led him leave his national team.
Courtois vs Tedesco: All you need to know about the feud
The fallout between Courtois and Tedesco began in June 2023, during Belgium’s Euro 2024 qualifying campaign. Courtois, who was expected to lead the team in Kevin De Bruyne’s absence, was upset when Tedesco handed the captain’s armband to Romelu Lukaku for the match against Austria. Although Tedesco planned to make Courtois captain in the following game against Estonia, the damage was done.
I want to address the Belgian fans and supporters of our national team.
I feel immense love and pride in representing my country on the pitch, as well as every one of you who supports the Red Devils. I feel privileged to have had the honor of wearing the national jersey. Not… pic.twitter.com/BD4YP09wxs
— Thibaut Courtois (@thibautcourtois) August 22, 2024
Courtois felt disrespected and underappreciated by the decision, especially as the match against Estonia would have been his first home game after earning 100 caps for Belgium. He believed that the coach should have acknowledged this milestone by giving him the captaincy earlier. Courtois also accused Tedesco of leaking details of their private conversations to the press, further eroding the trust between them.
In an interview with Sporza, Courtois shared his perspective, saying, “When he said that Romelu was captain against Austria and I was captain against Estonia on Tuesday, something snapped inside me. I couldn’t handle it anymore. The fact that I no longer felt appreciation from the federation and trainer made something explode within me. The coach made no effort to find a solution but simply said he would tell the press everything. He wanted to pressure me not to leave and threaten me.”
The situation escalated when Tedesco reportedly tried to pressure Courtois into staying by threatening to reveal their dispute to the media. Courtois saw this as an attack on his character and decided to leave the team. The tension between the two reached a point where reconciliation became impossible, leading to Courtois’ decision to step away from the national team.
Belgium’s performance under Tedesco has been inconsistent, with the team failing to progress beyond the last 16 of the Euros, raising questions about the coach’s leadership. Courtois’ departure is likely to spark further debate about the direction of the national team, especially as they look to rebuild after the recent disappointments.
Thibaut Courtois has quit the Belgium national team, citing a serious fallout with coach Domenico Tedesco over a captaincy dispute. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
