Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois announced a year-long break from international football after his team’s quarter-final loss to Spain in the 2026 World Cup. The match ended with a 2-1 defeat for Belgium at SoFi Stadium.
Courtois suffered a quadriceps injury during the game. He left the pitch in tears in the 71st minute. Spain scored first through Fabian Ruiz in the 30th minute. Belgium equalized with a goal from Charles De Ketelaere before halftime. Mikel Merino then struck late in the 88th minute to send Spain through to the semifinals.
Courtois explained the moment he felt pain. “I took a goal kick and I felt a lot of pain in my quadriceps,” he said afterward. “I informed the coaching staff that I felt pain when taking long goal kicks. I had no problem with staying in goal though. In the end the manager decided to take me off.”
Belgium coach Rudi Garcia made the call to substitute him. Garcia noted that the team always comes first. Courtois backed his replacement, Senne Lammens, who made an error leading to the winner, and expressed confidence that Lammens would grow stronger from the experience.
After the match, Courtois revealed his plans for the future. “I want to rest for a year without any Belgium matches,” he stated. “Then I want to play in the Euro qualifiers and Euro 2028.”
He added that the final decision rests with the Belgian Football Association. “As for my future with the national team, we’ll see,” Courtois told reporters. “I’d perhaps like to take a break from the Nations League, as it’s not the most important thing.”
The 34-year-old Real Madrid star has more than 110 caps for Belgium. He has dealt with previous injuries, including a major ACL tear in 2023. His announcement came as Belgium’s campaign ended in the quarter-finals. Spain advanced after a hard fought victory.
