Courtois may leave the Belgium national team: the goalkeeper announced his unexpected decision

Belgium national team goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has announced that he plans to temporarily suspend his international career. The 34-year-old shot-stopper stated that he will not participate in the Nations League, but might return ahead of the Euro 2028 qualifiers.

Most interestingly, Courtois did not rule out the possibility that the 2026 World Cup quarter-final match against Spain could be his final game for the national team.

Courtois may miss the Nations League

The Real Madrid goalkeeper openly stated that he might not be seen in the Belgium squad in the near future.

“We will see. Perhaps I will not participate in the Nations League, as it is not the most important competition,” said Courtois.

According to him, a final decision has not been made yet.

Possible return for Euro 2028 qualifiers

Courtois does not intend to cut ties with the national team completely. He mentioned the possibility of returning to the squad before the Euro 2028 qualifying campaign.

“Maybe I will return for the Euro 2028 qualifiers. But the final decision still rests with the federation,” he said.

These remarks indicate that the goalkeeper is not ending his career, but is considering a temporary break.

The match against Spain could be his last

Courtois expressed his most drastic opinion after the 2026 World Cup quarter-final match against Spain.

“Today's game might have been my last for the national team,” he said.

This statement is expected to spark significant debate among Belgium fans.

A serious loss for Belgium

Thibaut Courtois has been the primary goalkeeper and one of the leaders of the Belgium national team for many years. His potential break could have a serious impact on the team's defense and plans for major tournaments.

Now the main question is: will Courtois only miss the Nations League, or was the match against Spain truly his final appearance for the Belgium national team?