Real Madrid star continues international boycott despite air-clearing visit to Spanish capital

Belgium will be without Thibaut Courtois for the November internationals after the Real Madrid goalkeeper refused an offer to return to the international fold. Courtois has not played for his country since June 2023, owing to a rift between himself and Belgian head coach Domenico Tedesco.

AS sources in Madrid report that Peter Willems, recently appointed as head of the Belgian soccer federation, flew to the Spanish capital to meet with Courtois. He had hoped to convince Courtois to return but the 32-year-old was unwilling.

Courtois' split from Tedesco stems from the decision not to include the goalkeeper in Belgium‘s squad for the summer’s European Championships. Although he had missed much of the 2023/24 season due to a knee injury, Courtois returned in time to play for Real Madrid in the Champions League final win over Borussia Dortmund.

The Madrid No. 1 was also frustrated when Tedesco opted to hand Kevin de Bruyne the captain’s armband. Courtois has indicated that he will not return to the national setup while the current coach remains in charge.

For now, it looks like Courtois is sticking to that decision. But Belgian fans will take heart in the news that the head of the national federation was able to meet with Courtois, potentially signalling a thawing of tensions between the two camps. Belgium‘s much-fated ’Golden Generation' failed to win a major tournament but Courtois could still prove to be a key player for a younger, refreshed squad of the future.

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