After nearly two years, Real Madrid’s goalkeeper is set for a potential return to international duty.
The signs were there after Belgium’s coaching change, and now it’s official—Thibaut Courtois is back in the national team. The experienced shot-stopper has been named in Belgium’s 26-man squad for the UEFA Nations League doubleheader against Ukraine.
Courtois had been absent from the national team since June 2023 after a fallout with then-coach Domenico Tedesco over the captaincy. The dispute kept the 32-year-old out of Belgium’s squad for last year’s European Championship. However, with Tedesco now gone and Rudy Garcia taking charge, Courtois has reconsidered his stance.
Garcia, announcing his first squad on Friday, already finds himself dealing with a controversy. Koen Casteels, who had taken over goalkeeping duties in Courtois’ absence, announced his international retirement last Sunday and criticized the decision to bring Courtois back.
Casteels claimed that many Belgian players were unhappy with Courtois’ behavior during his dispute with Tedesco. Naturally, this became a topic in Garcia’s press conference, with reporters asking if Courtois would be required to apologize. However, the Belgium coach made it clear that he is focused on a fresh start.
“We are starting with a clean slate. I won’t meet with the players until Monday, but before that, I will speak with the team leaders about what happened. After that, I won’t dwell on past issues—otherwise, we won’t be able to move forward.”
The question of Belgium’s captaincy also remains unresolved. After Eden Hazard’s retirement following the 2022 World Cup, Kevin De Bruyne took over as captain. Will Garcia make a change?
“I have my own thoughts on the matter. Kevin (De Bruyne), Romelu (Lukaku), and Thibaut are all candidates. We’ll decide next week who will lead the team.”
