Real Madrid superstar considers international retirement to focus more on remaining important player for La Liga giants: Reports
Real Madrid superstar Thibaut Courtois could reportedly retire from Belgium's national team to focus more on his club career.
According to OKDiario (h/t El Nacional), Courtois has already decided he wants to quit the international set-up. The report states that the goalkeeper knows he will not be able to reach the UEFA Euros 2024 to be held in Germany next year.
Courtois is also apparently not thinking about being in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The 31-year-old is in the latter stages of his career and is currently sidelined with a long-term ACL injury suffered in the summer.
Real Madrid moved quickly to sign Kepa Arrizabalaga on a season-long loan from Chelsea as his replacement. The Spanish goalkeeper is now Carlo Ancelotti's undisputed No. 1 over Andriy Lunin but Courtois is expected to retain his position once he returns.
Courtois belonged to the Belgian Red Devils' golden generation in the 2010s, who failed to live up to the hype and won no major trophies. He is already an icon for the national team, being one of only seven players to make over 100 appearances (102) for them.
Courtois has established himself as one of the world's best goalkeepers in recent seasons, making crucial saves in big games and helping Real Madrid win the biggest titles. He has 91 clean sheets in 230 career games for the club, winning nine titles including the UEFA Champions League.
The former Chelsea and Atletico Madrid shot-stopper's contract expires in the summer of 2026.
On-loan Real Madrid star wants to stay beyond the season
Kepa Arrizabalaga wants to stay at Real Madrid beyond the end of the current season.
The Spain international's contract at the Santiago Bernabeu does not include a provision to make the deal permanent. But he hopes he can stay with the Madrid-based giants for the foreseeable future.
Addressing the possibility of staying at Real Madrid beyond the season, the 29-year-old told Juanfe Sanz of El Chiringuito TV (h/t GOAL):
"Yes, I’m very happy here. Who doesn’t want to stay at Real Madrid?"
There is nothing concrete to suggest that Los Blancos will move for the former Athletic Bilbao man in the future. But if it does happen, then Thibaut Courtois will know his starting spot won't be set in stone anymore.
So far, the Chelsea loanee has kept five clean sheets in nine games for the Spanish club this season, conceding just seven times.