Thibaut Courtois is already a Real Madrid legend
By Amir Elrafie
Real Madrid have always been blessed to have some of the greatest goalkeepers of all time. From Francisco Buyo, Iker Casillas, and Keylor Navas to now Thibaut Courtois, Los Blancos’ legacy of having goalkeeping greats does not look like it will stop anytime soon.
As Real Madrid clinched the coveted UEFA Champions League trophy this past Saturday in a 1-0 victory against English powerhouses Liverpool, all eyes were undoubtedly on Courtois’ man-of-the-match performance.
The Belgian shot-stopper made nine saves against Liverpool – the most by any keeper in Champions League final history, as he deservedly earned the man of the match award at the end of the match. His saves were crucial in seeing Los Blancos lift their historic 14th Champions League trophy.
Courtois was able to produce breathtaking saves against the likes of Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah. Real Madrid would have left Paris with a much different outcome if it weren’t for his crucial interventions, and it will undoubtedly go down as one of the most outstanding goalkeeping performances of all time.
With his performance proving as influential as it was, it indeed places Courtois on the pedestal as a Real Madrid great. Some may argue that taking it one step further and deeming the big Belgian as a Real Madrid legend may not be an overstatement.
There are certain traits you must embody to become a Real Madrid legend
To become a Los Blancos legend, you must defy the characteristics that Real Madrid portrays as a club. Fighting spirit, determination, success, and sacrifice. These traits are synonymous with the Spanish giants and are ingrained in the very best to put on the famous white shirt of Madrid.
Since recovering from his disastrous first season at Real Madrid, Courtois has proven time and time again that he embodies these characteristics. After his horrid first season at the club, the Belgian goalkeeper personified Real Madrid’s never-give-up attitude and turned his career around by becoming a pivotal figure for Los Blancos.
In football, goalkeepers are never given the same praise as a forward, but Courtois has changed that narrative entirely. His performance in the Champions League final has not only solidified him amongst the best goalkeepers in the world, but he has finally earned the respect and recognition he so rightfully deserves.
We have seen incredible individual goalkeeping performances from Real Madrid greats, such as Iker Casillas’ performance against Bayer Leverkusen in 2002 and Keylor Navas’ performance against Atletico Madrid in 2016; now Courtois has kept the tradition going with his recent performance against Liverpool.
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The Belgian shot-stopper has rightfully earned his place as a Real Madrid legend, and we’re confident that Courtois will continue to enhance his legacy with many more memorable performances. With that being said, we can surely expect Courtois chants to be a regular thing at the Santiago Bernabeu soon, and it will be music to our ears.