Courtois breaks up with the Belgian national team and reveals the shady backstory

Thibaut Courtois, the giant standing at 2 meters tall who conceded nothing between the sticks of Real Madrid with class, has decided to raise his voice and put an end—temporarily, at least—to his history with the Belgian national team. Goalkeeper Courtois no longer holds his place among the Red Devils as long as Domenico Tedesco holds the reins. What could have been a relationship of trust and cooperation has turned into a soap opera worth a movie plot, replete with betrayals, resentments, and drastic decisions. Courtois, not satisfied with being just another, made it plain: mutual distrust is the reason at the heart of this breakup.

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The goalkeeper took the opportunity to clarify what happened, using his Instagram account to detail the episodes that had brought him to the decision about his absence from Euro 2024. According to him, "a lot of reflection" made him understand that the lack of trust in coach Tedesco was a chasm impossible to fill. And, to be honest, when a player of that stature does decide to turn his back on the national team, it says so much more backstage than one may want to think.

Remember that whole episode when Courtois left the Belgium camp in anger at losing his captain's strip? Well, that was when it all started spilling out. Personal pride, of course – for Courtois to have gathered respect and leadership in 102 caps. It's another story for Tedesco. This friction came out in the open in March when Courtois called out the coach for being a liar. It was a signal that if nothing would change, the break-up would be inevitable.

Now, the Belgian Football Federation is trying to put a lid on things, thanking them for the "great times" and wishing them luck for the future. The effect, however, is more than the courtesies that will literally mask it. Anyway, Courtois is going to be difficult to replace. By any stretch of the imagination, he happens to be one of the best goalkeepers in the world. Casteels may fill in, but Courtois's absence is felt in the leadership and experience. How do you replace the wall which has faced some of the biggest strikers the world has ever seen?

This reflects something greater that is happening in football: the relationship between coaches and players becomes more and more strained, especially within national teams. There, meetings are few, working time limited. Courtois is right to take a stand. At 32, he's a top-tier player with his career put in place and an abundance of high performance still ahead of him. He doesn't have to put himself in a position where he won't have value. He is the kind of player who will be heard, and exercising that voice is more than just a right; it is an obligation to his integrity.

What the future brings for Courtois and the Belgian national team, nobody knows. At least by not announcing his retirement, he has left the door ajar for a future return—maybe under a different coach. Until then, however, Courtois does not seem to be interested in anything apart from what really counts for him: his career with Real Madrid, and physically and technically staying fit.

As for Belgium, the golden generation has passed by without the shine of a major title in their bag, yet to find the right balance. Maybe the bigger takeaway will be how exactly to manage egos and talent in the dressing room, after all, on no other field or court is harmony off it quite as vital to success as talent on it.

Ultimately, Courtois might turn out to be but the symptom of a deeper problem. As the Red Devils try and figure out how to get back to the top of world soccer, Courtois will continue his journey at Real Madrid — the biggest club in the world.