Courtois Exits Belgium Team Amid Coach Dispute

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has announced that he will not play for the Belgium national team as long as Domenico Tedesco remains the manager, citing a lack of confidence in him. Courtois, who has 102 caps, was left out of the Euro 2024 squad after a fallout with Tedesco over a captaincy dispute in 2023. Despite recovering from knee injuries to help Real Madrid win the Champions League, Courtois decided against rejoining the national team. He stated that his decision is intended to close the debate and allow the team to focus on their goals. The Belgian Football Association has accepted his decision and the reasons behind it. Belgium was eliminated by France in the Euro 2024 round of 16, with Koen Casteels replacing Courtois as the starting goalkeeper.