Thibaut Courtois considers retirement from Belgium national team
Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has admitted that the 2026 World Cup could be his final tournament for the Belgium national team due to physical demands.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Author: Эдгар Брещанов
Real Madrid and Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has confirmed that he is considering retiring from international football following the 2026 World Cup.
The probability of me leaving is higher than the probability of me continuing to play for the national team. We have had many happy moments, but I do not think I can continue at this pace, purely for physical reasons.Thibaut Courtois
Courtois has been a regular for the Belgian national team since 2011. During his international tenure, the goalkeeper has earned 114 caps, keeping a clean sheet in 57 of those matches.
The announcement comes ahead of a crucial fixture for the Red Devils. On Friday, July 10, Belgium will face Spain in the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup, with kick-off set for 22:00.