Thibaut Courtois Returns to Belgium Squad After Nearly Two Years Away

Thibaut Courtois has made his long-awaited return to the Belgium national team, earning a place in the Red Devils’ 26-man squad for their crucial two-legged Nations League qualifying clash against Ukraine.

This marks the Real Madrid goalkeeper’s first international call-up since June 2023, following a well-documented dispute with former Belgium manager Domenico Tedesco over the national team captaincy.

Since Tedesco’s departure in January, Belgium has undergone a leadership change with Rudi Garcia taking over as head coach. The managerial shift has seemingly paved the way for Courtois’ return. Addressing the media about his squad selection, Garcia emphasized a clean slate approach, stating:

“We’re starting fresh. I won’t see the players until Monday, but we’ll have discussions with the team leaders about past incidents. That said, I won’t dwell on what happened in previous years, as that won’t help us move forward.”

READ ALSO: Gold Surges Past $3,000 Amid Trade War Tensions

The new boss also shed light on how he plans to resolve Belgium’s lingering captaincy debate, acknowledging that Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, and Courtois are all strong candidates for the leadership role. He added: “I already have an idea about the captaincy. Next week, we’ll determine who the true leaders in the squad are.”

While Courtois’ comeback was welcomed by some, it sparked strong opposition from Koen Casteels, Belgium’s long-standing first-choice goalkeeper in Courtois’ absence.

The Al Qadsiah shot-stopper was so disillusioned by the decision that he opted to retire from international duty altogether. Speaking candidly on the Belgian podcast MidMid, Casteels expressed frustration over the national team’s handling of Courtois’ return:

READ ALSO: EU Pledges €46 Million to Strengthen Nigeria’s Social Protection System

“It’s strange that the football association has completely reversed its stance and is rolling out the red carpet for him. Courtois seems to have had the power to decide when he returns, which doesn’t align with my values of what a team sport or sporting organization should be.”

“This isn’t about Thibaut personally but rather the football association’s decision. As of today, I am no longer available for the national team.”

Despite the controversy, Belgium remains focused on their upcoming Nations League qualifiers against Ukraine. They will first travel for an away fixture on Thursday, before hosting the return leg on March 23.