Thibaut Courtois to skip Belgium's Nations League campaign, will return for Euro qualifiers

Thibaut Courtois is making headlines again, though this time it has nothing to do with anger or slammed doors. The Real Madrid goalkeeper has reached an agreement with Mark van Bommel, Belgium's new head coach, to sit out the upcoming Nations League campaign with the Red Devils. That said, he'll remain available for the European Championship qualifying rounds, so nobody should mistake this for a permanent farewell.

Courtois himself explained the move in comments to the Belgian newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws, where he was clear about exactly what the decision meant:

I've decided not to play the entire Nations League campaign with the Red Devils. Unless the coach runs into injury problems, in which case I could be called up as an exception.Thibaut Courtois

The 34 year old keeper made sure to spell out one thing clearly: this is not a retirement from the national team. He'll be back for qualifying for the next European Championship, and that's where things get interesting, because Van Bommel hasn't handed him anything for free. The coach agreed to the plan but warned him that the starting job isn't guaranteed once he returns.

Courtois took that in stride, with the same competitive streak that's defined him since his days at Genk, Atletico Madrid and Chelsea:

If the goalkeeper who plays the Nations League impresses, Van Bommel could stick with him. But I want to fight for my spot. I want to prove I'm the number one again.Thibaut Courtois

A comeback that wasn't easy

To understand why this announcement carries so much weight, it helps to remember where Courtois is coming from. The goalkeeper spent two full years completely cut off from the national team after a head-on clash with then coach Domenico Tedesco. It all blew up in June 2023, when Courtois felt it was disrespectful to his standing in the squad that he wasn't given the captain's armband in Kevin De Bruyne's absence, with the gesture instead going to Romelu Lukaku.

That wasn't just a passing grievance. Courtois went so far as to announce he wouldn't play for Belgium again as long as Tedesco remained in charge, and he kept his word for two entire seasons. The thaw finally came on March 14, 2025, when he accepted a call-up once again, by then under new coach Rudi Garcia.

Since then, Courtois has reclaimed his place between the posts for Belgium and been the starting goalkeeper on the road to the 2026 World Cup. Now, with Van Bommel leading the project, he's decided to step aside for the Nations League, likely with an eye on managing his workload between Real Madrid and the national team. What's clear is that his priority remains what it's always been: showing up for the big occasions as the undisputed starter, not just another name on the list.