Thibaut Courtois removed from Belgium’s WhatsApp group

Thibaut Courtois has been removed from Belgium’s WhatsApp group after announcing that he wanted to step back from the national team. The Real Madrid goalkeeper had been considering ending his international career, but changed his mind after the World Cup. He will no longer hear from Belgium until further notice.

Being removed from the chat does not mean Courtois has definitively turned his back on the national team. The 2026 World Cup was supposed to be his last, but the goalkeeper said he changed his position during the tournament. He also explained that the WhatsApp group was used to share information, particularly about training, with only occasional messages.

Courtois outlined why he chose to take a step back during the first international window. “I thought this first international window was substantial,” he told DAZN Belgium, referring to four matches. He said the demanding schedule, with games coming in quick succession, was compounded by two muscle injuries in a short period. A week off allowed him to recover, he said.

The goalkeeper also said there had been no problem regarding Senne Lammens and Maarten Vandevoordt. He has not ruled out a return: “The coach can always call me, there’s no problem. If I come back for the Euro qualifiers, it will be up to him to choose who he wants to play.” Courtois added that he had never taken his place as the automatic starter for granted and would accept the coach choosing Lammens, Vandevoordt or Penders.

He was also upbeat about the national team after the first camp with Van Bommel, saying that the team and its coach were on the right track and that the squad had a great future. Although he is currently out of the WhatsApp group, Courtois’s comments leave the door open to a return to the national team.