Thibaut Courtois has made headlines with his bold request for a one-year sabbatical from international football following Belgium's exit from the 2026 World Cup. The Real Madrid goalkeeper was visibly emotional after being substituted in the 70th minute during Belgium's 2-1 loss to Spain, where a late mistake by his replacement, Senne Lammens, resulted in Mikel Merino scoring the decisive goal.

Courtois, distraught at the outcome, is contemplating his future with the national team. If he steps away, Lammens and Chelsea's Mike Penders are expected to vie for the starting goalkeeper position for Belgium.

In his own words, Courtois stated:

I want to rest for a year with no Belgium games, and then play the Euro 2028 qualifiers and the Euro 2028. I don't know if Belgium will agree to this.”

During the match against Spain, Courtois experienced a thigh injury but later clarified that he felt capable of continuing. He explained:

It was with a long kick at the beginning of the second half; I felt something near my muscle. I made some saves. I felt okay, so I continued. Then, I kicked it long again and I felt it a bit more. So then, you know it's something muscular, and you need to be careful."

Despite the disappointment, Courtois expressed support for Lammens, emphasizing his strong character:

I gave him a big hug – there’s not much more I can do at this moment. He’s a great goalkeeper and he will only get stronger from this.

As Spain prepares for a semi-final clash against France in Dallas on Tuesday, Belgium must now regroup and reflect on their World Cup journey.