Thibaut Courtois said he wants to finish his career at Real Madrid and does not see himself playing in Belgium again. Speaking while on World Cup duty, he described the Pro League as a closed chapter and pointed to Genk’s depth at goalkeeper.
“I’m not thinking about playing in Belgium again. For me, the Pro League is a closed chapter. Genk also has many good young goalkeepers, so… My goal is to finish my career at Real Madrid,” he said.
World Cup duty and Seattle
Courtois also tied his club future to Belgium’s World Cup plan. He said Belgium wants to win against Iran and finish first, which would keep the team in Seattle and cut down on travel and hotel changes.
“The TV is on a lot; we watch quite a few World Cup matches. I notice that a lot of goals are scored in the final minutes. Also, that the gap between teams isn’t usually very wide. Everyone wants to do their own thing, but these days every match is a battle. It’ll be the same against Iran. But we want to win, we want to finish first. That way we can stay in Seattle and travel less. We won’t have to be changing hotels and packing all the time. That’s better for the family too. I remember the World Cup in Russia, when we had to travel so much. In the end, it takes its toll. I don’t mind playing at midday. It’s harder with the weather in other places. There’s often more pace in the afternoon matches, but you get used to it,” he said.
Spain and media scrutiny
He said tournament buildup has been smoother this time than before Qatar, when he said there was a lot of unrest through the press. Courtois added that criticism can help or hurt, depending on the timing, and he would rather see it saved until after the tournament ends.
He also pushed back on what he reads in Spain, saying he often sees fabricated claims and that maybe 80 percent of what he reads is false. He said that kind of reporting hurts players, and added that social media and AI do not help.
For Belgium, the immediate task is Iran, but Courtois’s comments put a hard line through the bigger picture: he is mapping his career around Real Madrid, not a late return to Belgian club football. That leaves his long-term club path in one place and closes off another.
