Courtois opts for a breathing break, Nations League remains incomplete

On a sunny afternoon in the Sky Sport studio, Thibaut Courtois explained why he chose to skip the Nations League, stating that he needs a short breathing break after an intensive injury spell before his international duties.

Thibaut Courtois is universally regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the world. Many consider him the very best.

His decision not to take part in the Nations League campaign sparked a lot of debate within the Red Devils. The absence of the Real Madrid goalkeeper was widely covered in the media.

National coach Mark van Bommel accepted that choice. He indicated that the team understands the situation.

He emphasized that there are enough goalkeepers ready to replace Courtois during this Nations League. Thus the Red Devils squad remains intact.

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Senne Lammens, Mike Penders, Maarten Vandevoordt and Jari De Busser were selected for the November international break. All four are ready to fill Courtois’s position.

Courtois also said that after the 2026 World Cup he had briefly considered a farewell with the national team. He contemplated a definitive end to his international career.

“Initially I thought about quitting as an international and ending my career after the World Cup,” the goalkeeper explained. “But I must say that I greatly enjoyed that World Cup,” he added.

The Real Madrid goalkeeper mainly points to the overloaded calendar as the reason for his absence. He argues that players are currently playing too many matches.

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“Regarding the Nations League: in my opinion footballers are currently playing too many matches,” Courtois said. He added that the current schedule is unsustainable.

“I got injured in March and was out for a long time,” Courtois recounted. “During the World Cup I had to leave the match against Spain again due to an injury, making a short break necessary,” he concluded.