Thibaut Courtois Quits Belgium National Team Amid Row with Coach Tedesco

Thibaut Courtois, Real Madrid's goalkeeper, announced his departure from the Belgium national team due to conflicts with coach Domenico Tedesco. After being left out of the squad for the European Championship, Courtois decided to step down, believing his continued presence would disrupt team harmony. The Belgian FA accepted his decision.

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois declared on Thursday his intent to no longer play for the Belgium national team under current coach Domenico Tedesco. Courtois, a highly regarded keeper, was omitted from Belgium's squad for the European Championship following a dispute with Tedesco last year and was replaced by Koen Casteels.

I feel privileged to have had the honor of wearing the national jersey more than 100 times,' Courtois shared on social media. 'Following recent events with the coach and extensive reflection, I have decided not to return to the national team under his management.'

The 32-year-old goalkeeper, who recently recovered from an injury to help Real Madrid win the Champions League, stated that the Belgian FA has accepted his decision. 'I regret possibly disappointing some fans, but I am convinced this is the best course of action for Belgium,' Courtois said. Tedesco's tactics have been under scrutiny since Belgium was eliminated by France in the last 16 of the Euros. The Italian-born German manager has had a mixed tenure since starting in February 2023.

(With inputs from agencies.)