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Thibaut Courtois: I Won’t Play For Belgium Under Tedesco
Real Madrid goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois, announced on Thursday that he would no longer play for the Belgium national team under current coach Domenico Tedesco.
Courtois, often considered one of the top goalkeepers in the, was excluded from Belgium’s for the European Championship after a disagreement with Tedesco last year. He was substituted by Koen Casteels for the tournament.
“I feel privileged to have had the honor of wearing the national jersey. Not even in my wildest dreams could I have imagined being able to do so more than 100 times,” Courtois posted on his social media accounts.
“Unfortunately, following the events with the coach and after much reflection, I have decided not to return to the Belgian national team under his management.
“In this matter, I accept my share of responsibility. However, looking forward, my lack of confidence in him would not contribute to maintaining the necessary atmosphere of cordiality.”
The goalkeeper, who suffered an injury but recovered in time to help Real Madrid win the Champions League in June, added the Belgian FA has accepted his position and the reasons that led to the decision.
“I regret possibly disappointing some fans but I am convinced that this is the best course of action for Belgium, as it closes a debate and allows the team to focus on pursuing its goals. Thank you for your unwavering support, love, and understanding,” Courtois said.
Tedesco’s tactics led to scrutiny over his suitability for the position after Belgium was knocked out by France in the round of 16 at the Euro 2024.
The Italian-born German manager began his stint in February 2023 and signed a contract extension before the start of the Euros.
Despite being a team that held the spot in the world rankings for almost three years and made it to the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup, Belgium has experienced underwhelming results under Tedesco’s management.
