So much the worse for Belgium. Victim of a ruptured cruciate ligament in his left knee on August 10, Thibaut Courtois has already given up on Euro 2024, scheduled for June 14 to July 14 in Germany. “Because of this injury, there will be no European Championship for me,” the Real Madrid goalkeeper said on Tuesday. at the Flemish chain Sporza. I have to recover 100% first and it’s better not to give a date. Hopefully I’ll be able to play again in May. But you can’t be 100% ready for a big tournament. »
Courtois will not immediately renew his history with the Red Devils, whose gathering he left with losses and uproar last June, before a Euro qualifying match in Estonia. The Belgian press then indicated that Courtois could not stand that the Italian-German coach Dominic Tedesco chose an alternation between him and Romelu Lukaku to wear the armband, in the absence of the attracted captain Kevin De Bruyne (injured).
Apologies to Belgian fans and teammates
“It was a bad decision to leave after the Austria match [le 17 juin], recognizes the 31-year-old goalkeeper with 102 caps. I would like to apologize to the team and especially the supporters. » But not with Tedesco, appointed in February after a failed World Cup in Qatar. Courtois criticizes him for not having spoken to him during the Red Devils rally in Tubize, when he was the only potential captain present (De Bruyne was out and Lukaku was retained by Inter Milan’s Champions League final against Manchester City).
“A few hours after the match against Austria kicked off, Tedesco summoned Lukaku and me. When he said that Romelu would be captain against Austria and I would be captain against Estonia, something clicked in me. It no longer worked. The fact of no longer feeling recognition from the federation and the coach made something explode in me. »
Obviously, Courtois does not hold Tedesco in his heart. However, he assures us: “The door [de la sélection] is not closed. However, I know I have to focus on Real Madrid this season. And the Euro is not part of my plans for a perfect return. » Strasbourg’s Matz Sels, starting in the Belgian goals in the absence of the captain, must have appreciated this interview.