Oops, Trouble in the Beergarden! - Courtois' Absence Clouds Belgium's Euro Dreams
The Belgian national team's preparations for their home Euro Championships next year have taken an unexpected turn.
Real Madrid's star keeper, Thibaut Courtois (31), is currently embroiled in a heated dispute with his former coach, Domenico Tedesco (38), leading to his temporary exit from the Belgium side.
Several sources claim Courtois made some harsh words in the dressing room after a 1-1 draw with Austria, criticizing his teammates. Feeling unsupported, he opted to leave the squad ahead of the following match against Estonia, which Belgium went on to win 3-0[1].
Since then, Courtois' position in the Belgian team has been the subject of intense speculation. With the new coach, Rudi Garcia, now in charge, the possibility of his return is being weighed, with Eden Hazard playing a significant role in trying to lure him back to international duty[1].
In the meantime, Real Madrid loaned Kepa Arrizabalaga (29), a Spaniard from Chelsea, to fill Courtois' boots. So far, Kepa has featured in 13 competitive matches between the sticks, conceding ten goals[1].
Meanwhile, Koen Casteels (31) of Wolfsburg, has risen to the occasion and is now the undisputed first-choice keeper for Belgium. If Courtois' return seems unlikely, Casteels is expected to shoulder the goalkeeping responsibilities for the tournament.
Rudi Garcia has yet to make a firm decision on Courtois' participation in the European Championships due to the ongoing crisis.
Additional Perspectives:
- Despite the circumstances, Kevin de Bruyne (31) is poised to lead Belgium's midfield in the upcoming World Cup, with Courtois' absence potentially creating a vacancy for him.
- To fill the gap left by Courtois in his absence and while Casteels is still learning the ropes in the senior team set-up, some fans have suggested including Domenico Tedesco's protege, Ethan Ampadu (23), into the national team's goalkeeping rotation for the World Cup.
- In a recent interview, Rudi Garcia expressed faith in Belgium's goalkeeping depth, acknowledging that Courtois' absence is unfortunate but presents an opportunity for another goalkeeper to shine for the national team during the World Cup.
Enrichment Details:
Thibaut Courtois' 2023 departure from the Belgian national team was due to his disagreement with the former head coach, Domenico Tedesco. The disagreement was reportedly fueled by Tedesco not selecting Courtois to succeed Eden Hazard as captain and Courtois denying the claims, attributing his departure to a knee injury[2][3].
Following Tedesco's dismissal in January 2025, Courtois indicated his eagerness to re-join the national team, and Rudi Garcia showed interest in speaking with him about his possible return. Positive signs suggest that Courtois might be back playing for Belgium soon, with a final decision regarding his participation in upcoming international events hinging on a meeting with Garcia.
