Courtois announces international break after 2026 World Cup, starting role not guaranteed

Thibaut Courtois will not wear the Red Devils shirt for now. The day after Belgium’s elimination in the 2026 World Cup quarter-finals, the Real Madrid goalkeeper announced he was taking a one-year break from the national team, a decision he confirmed Tuesday evening after Madrid’s 2-1 victory over Inter Milan in the Champions League.

The 34-year-old keeper explained that this temporary withdrawal came “following a discussion with coach Mark Van Bommel”. He clarified the terms of that exchange: “Mark Van Bommel told me he could not guarantee me a starting place. If the goalkeeper who plays in the Nations League performs well, the coach could trust him again.”

Direct consequence: Courtois will be absent from the September gathering and will not feature in Van Bommel’s squad for the next international window. He will notably miss the two clashes against France in the Nations League — September 28 in Brussels and October 5 at the Stade de France — as well as matches against Italy on September 25 and Turkey on October 2.

On the European front, Courtois was once again decisive with Real Madrid against the Nerazzurri, continuing a solid season in the white shirt. It was following this performance that the Belgian chose to publicly clarify his international situation, ending speculation about his future with the national team.