Belgium’s goalkeeping situation has taken a dramatic turn, with Koen Casteels announcing that he is stepping away from international duty. His decision comes as Real Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois is poised for a return to the national team, despite lingering tensions from his past fallout with the squad.
Casteels, 32, was Belgium’s first-choice goalkeeper at Euro 2024, filling the void left by Courtois, who walked away from the team after a dispute with former coach Domenico Tedesco.
However, with the recent appointment of Rudi Garcia as head coach, Courtois has expressed his desire to return, a move that has not sat well with everyone in the squad.
Speaking on the Playsports podcast, Casteels openly questioned the manner in which Courtois’ comeback is being handled.
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“I find it a bit strange that Thibaut Courtois can decide for himself whether he returns. And I find it even stranger that the federation is rolling out the red carpet for him,” he stated. The now Al Qadsiah goalkeeper added, “There are a lot of players who think the same as I do.”
Garcia, who took over in January, made his stance clear from the start. “Even if we have quality goalkeepers like Matz Sels and Koen Casteels, we are counting on Thibaut, who I consider to be the best goalkeeper in the world,” he said upon his appointment.
Courtois originally distanced himself from the national team in June 2023 after reportedly feeling disrespected when he wasn’t named captain for a match against Austria. His potential reintegration has sparked debate within the squad, with reports from Belgian outlet Sudinfo suggesting that not all players are in favor of his return.
Garcia is set to announce his first squad on Friday ahead of Belgium’s Nations League play-off tie against Ukraine later this month.
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