Thibaut Simon, Media365, published on Sunday December 29, 2024 at 10:33 a.m.
Honored at the Globe Soccer Awards ceremony, Thibaut Courtois looked back on his relationship with the national team and compared the culture between Belgium and his club Real.
Present in Dubai for the Globe Soccer Awards, Thibaut Courtois received the “Player Career Award”. A trophy rewarding the career of Real’s Belgian goalkeeper. Arriving in Madrid in 2018, the former Chelsea goalkeeper has built up a fine track record in the Spanish capital. 14 titles as a Madrid player including 2 Champions Leagues and 3 Spanish championships. A busy career, logically put in the spotlight during this ceremony. “I want to thank Globe Soccer for this award. But also my wife, my family and my teammates. This trophy is an honor.” he explained. Returning after a long injury last year, the 32-year-old Belgian assures that he lives for football and that he wants to continue to take his club to the top. Thibaut Courtois, present on the set with Cristiano Ronaldo, was questioned on the thorny subject of the national team. The tension is still palpable between the doorman and his nation.
A different winning culture
At Real Madrid, Thibaut Courtois has won everything. Thanks to the winning mentality that the club has maintained since the dawn of time, the Belgian is used to finals and matches under pressure. The most successful club in the Champions League (15) and title holder of the competition, Real plays every season to win all the trophies. A difference which pits the club against the Belgian national team. Convinced that Belgium would have won against Croatia at the 2018 World Cup – the Red Devils lost to France (1-0) in the semi-final – Courtois placed a small tackle on his national team. “You know, in Belgium, there has never really been a culture of victory. We sometimes lacked that to go far during a tournament. It’s not like at Real or in other clubs.” explained the Madrid goalkeeper. On a possible return to the national team, Courtois preferred to dodge the subject. “I don’t want to express myself too much on this subject for the moment. I love playing for my country, but the conditions have to be right for that. We will see in the future.” confided Courtois. As a reminder, the goalkeeper with 102 caps announced in August 2024 that he was leaving the selection. A sad decision, but accepted.
