As soon as Thibaut Courtois went down clutching the upper outside of his left thigh, everyone watching the World Cup quarterfinal match between Belgium and Spain knew that the game was about to turn. And just like Nuno Mendes's injury for Portugal vs. the Spaniard, the injury to the Belgian giant spelled the end for the underdogs, as Senne Lammens came onto the pitch for a tearful Courtois and blew the game with an awful spiill that even Peter Schmeicel criticized heavily on the FOX broadcast.
The good news for Real Madrid fans is that Courtois does not appear to be seriously injured, telling reporters after the game that the main issue would have been kicking the ball and that he had actually told the Belgium staff that he could have still played if they needed him to. It was there decision not to take any chances and to sub in Lammens, who is a competent keeper as the starter for Manchester United.
Of course, Madridistas will never rest easy when it comes to an injury to their actual most important player, given the number of big games and big trophies Courtois has won for them. So the better news is that an outcome of Courtois' injury will be him being at fewer risk of further issues over the next year.
Belgium would be crazy to stop him
That's becuase Thibaut Courtois informed reporters that he will request a year off from the Belgian national team, and he has an ultimatum, too. Because if Belgium do not grant his request - and he has had a lot of problems with his country's shoddy management over the years - then he will permanently retire from national team competition.
Courtois said, via Madrid Xtra, “I want to rest for a year without any Belgium matches, and then play the Euro qualifiers and the 2028 Euro. I don't know if Belgium will agree to this.”
Belgium would honestly be insane not to agree to this. It should be in their vested interest to have the 34 year old goalkeeper, their best current player, and their best goalkeeper of all time 100 percent healthy. And they do not need him for any matches until the European Championship qualifiers anyway, because all of those matches are meaningless.
Courtois will have plenty of intensity and big games with Real Madrid to stay sharp, and they do not need him on the pitch for friendlies and Nations League games for him to have chemistry. And Madridistas would love Courtois to have less toil on his body at 34 by taking a year off. That is ideal.
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