Real Madrid star Thibaut Courtois suffered a cruel end to his 2026 FIFA World Cup, having to come off against Spain in the quarter-finals after suffering an injury.
After the game, he admitted that he could have managed to stay on and help his team but that it was manager Rudi Garcia's decision to take him off and replace him with Senne Lammens.
Eventually, Belgium went on to lose that game 2-1, with Lammens making the mistake that resulted in Mikel Merino scoring La Roja 's winner.
Now, the Madrid shot-stopper has welcomed Belgium's decision to appoint Mark van Bommel as the national team's new head coach.
However, he stopped short of confirming his future with the national team, hinting that he might want to take a break.
Courtois' international future remains uncertain. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)
As quoted by Mundo Deportivo , Courtois admitted Van Bommel's appointment did not come as a surprise after weeks of speculation linking him with the role.
"It wasn't a surprise because his name had been mentioned for a while. I think he proved at Antwerp that he is a top-level coach. A lot of players speak very highly of him, so I'm really looking forward to meeting him,"he said.
Los Blancos ' goalkeeper believes Van Bommel's experience at the highest level as both a player and coach will immediately command respect inside the dressing room.
"The most important thing is that Van Bommel played at the highest level and knows what it's like to play matches like these. That experience is undoubtedly a positive and naturally earns him a lot of respect from the players,"he added.
While Courtois has not ruled out continuing with the national team, he made it clear that he wants to carefully consider his next step after an exhausting World Cup campaign.
"After the World Cup, I definitely want to continue, but it will depend on the conversation I have with him. I'd like to rest during the Nations League, and we'll have to try to reach an agreement about that. Then I'll decide whether I want to continue or not,"he said.
Courtois has earned 115 caps for Belgium and remains one of the country's most influential players, making his decision an important one for Van Bommel as he begins a new era.
Courtois also revisited Belgium's World Cup quarter-final defeat to Spain, where he was forced off through injury before the decisive late goal.
"I simply felt that I couldn't take goal kicks anymore. A defender could have done that. In open play, I could still make sideways passes,"he explained.
Courtois' World Cup campaign ended in disappointment. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
Despite believing he could have remained on the pitch in some capacity, Courtois insisted there was no disagreement with former Belgium coach Rudi Garcia.
"The coach said, 'We've agreed that only players who are 100 percent fit will play.' Fine, no problem,"he said.
Reflecting on the substitution, Courtois stressed there were no hard feelings.
"Of course I was disappointed because it was against Spain and we were in a good moment. But the team is more important than me. The decision was made and there was never any resentment. I never wanted to speak badly about him,"he added.
Courtois now needs to sit down and discuss his future with Van Bommel, and the duo need to make sure they make the best decision for Belgian football going forward.
The important thing for them is that they have a talented and able deputy like Senne Lammens waiting in the wings.
As for Courtois, he will be looking to recover from the injury he suffered as soon as he can and return to training under new manager Jose Mourinho.
There is no doubt that the veteran shot-stopper will continue to be important for Real Madrid, and it remains to be seen how Jose handles his fitness.
