Thibaut Courtois has taken a significant step by requesting a one-year break from international football with Belgium following their exit from the World Cup 2026.
The goalkeeper was visibly emotional after being substituted in the 70th minute during a 2-1 defeat to Spain. His replacement, Senne Lammens, made a critical error in the dying moments of the match, which resulted in Spain scoring the winning goal.
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The Real Madrid shot-stopper appeared heartbroken at the end of the match and is now pondering his future with the national team, as Lammens and Chelsea’s young goalkeeper Mike Penders are poised to compete for the starting position if he chooses to step away from the Red Devils.
“I want to take a break for a year without any Belgium matches and then return for the Euro 2028 qualifiers and the tournament itself. I’m uncertain if Belgium will agree to this,” he stated.
He previously could have played in Belgium‘s match against Spain in the World Cup 2026 quarter-finals, but sustained a thigh injury in the second half.
While holding his left thigh, Courtois mentioned that he did not feel severely affected by the injury, clarifying it was the coach Rudi Garcia’s call to make the substitution.
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“I felt a twinge in my muscle after a long kick early in the second half,” he explained in the post-match area. “Although I made several saves and felt fine, I felt it a little more after another long kick. That’s when I realized it might be a muscle issue, and I had to be cautious. I wanted to continue, but the coach preferred someone entirely fit. I was optimistic about playing for another five or ten minutes, but ultimately it was his decision.”
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Courtois also expressed support for Lammens following the late mistake, insisting that the Manchester United goalkeeper possesses a “strong personality.”
Courtois watched on as Spain secured a late victory (Reuters)
“I embraced him tightly—there’s not much else I can do right now,” Courtois remarked. “He’s a fantastic goalkeeper, and this experience will only make him stronger; he has a lot of character.
“Personally, it’s disappointing to exit the quarter-finals of the World Cup, but we’ll take a break for the next few weeks and assess the injury.”
Spain is set to face France in a highly anticipated match in the semi-finals on Tuesday in Dallas, a rematch of their Euro 2024 semi-final, which Spain won 2-1.