Thibaut Courtois has not had a good season, as he has not played a single minute of soccer so far. The superb goalkeeper for Real Madrid was injured right at the start of the season. To replace him, Real brought Kepa Arrizabalaga on a loan deal.
Initially, it was thought that Courtois would be out for approximately six months. But now, Real Madrid’s No. 1 has further confirmed that he will be out for even longer, with his EURO participation for Belgium in doubt as well.
Thibaut Courtois announces to not compete in EURO 2024
Thibaut Courtois has now confirmed that he won’t be able to play at the upcoming EURO 2024 competition in Germany. It is scheduled to take place next summer, and the Belgian will take no part in it. His ACL injury in his left knee at the start of the season had put him out of action, and it is expected that he will take more time to recover from it.
He confirmed the news that he won’t participate for Belgium, speaking to Belgian news outlet Sporza. He explained why he thought it is a good decision, saying, “Due to this injury, there will be no Euro Cup for me. First I have to recover 100% and it is better not to set a date. If I am lucky, I will be able to play a game in May. But I will never be 100% prepared for a big tournament like the Euro cup.”
He further explained that even if he returned to fitness, he won’t be at his best. This is why he believes he should sit out the tournament to allow Belgium to prepare itself for his absence.
“I think it is better to immediately offer that sincerity to the national team. I am not going to be in goal at 80%, as long as we have other good goalkeepers. I put my honor aside and will be an additional support in June. Hopefully we can win a European title,” he said.
Both Real Madrid and Belgium have been informed of this, and he will continue his rehabilitation. Matz Sels and Koen Casteels are alternative options for Belgium, though they will likely decide later who to pick.
Potential return date of Thibaut Courtois
Thibaut Courtois underwent surgery on the ligament that was torn and was expected to be out the whole season. It is similar to the injury of Barcelona’s Gavi and could take between 9 to 10 months to fully heal.
Courtouis, however, could make a return before the end of the season, with a possible return in May. However, his progress could also be furthered if he does not rest properly or gets another injury in the same place, and so it will be safe and better for him to fully heal. This could mean that his return date could be until the start of next season.
Thibaut Courtois will now watch on from the sidelines, as his team Real Madrid take on Alaves on Friday.
