The Belgian Football Federation announced that goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois decided to forego the match on Tuesday the 20th against Estonia for the Euro 2024 Qualifiers in Germany for not having been chosen team captain.
The front Romelu Lukaku replaced the midfielder Kevin DeBruyne as captain of Belgium in the 1-1 draw against Austria for the third date of Group F of the continental tournament played last Saturday 17, when Courtois He celebrated his hundredth game with the “Red Devils”.
“After the game, Thibaut unexpectedly wanted to talk to me and told me that he was going home because he was disappointed and felt insulted.”recounted the DT of Belgium, the Italian-German Domenico Tedesco.
“For me he is the best goalkeeper in the world. I appreciate him, not only as a goalkeeper, but also as a human being. I am surprised and shocked that he offended and disappointed.”Tedesco added at a press conference.
“In March we decided that Kevin would be the captain, that there would be two sub-captains: Lukaku and Courtois. I spoke with them before the game, since Kevin was not there”added the coach.
“For Austria it was Lukaku, and for Estonia it was Courtois, who after the game told me that he did not agree”Tedesco added about the goalkeeper’s decision, which, according to the Belgian press, also surprised his teammates.
“It is an unfortunate situation. I would prefer Thibaut to be there, but the group’s process is important. It is true that now this process has been altered and that it will be necessary to find a solution”said defender Jan Vertonghen, another of the players with the most appearances in the Belgian team.
In the absence of Courtois, the goal of Belgium will be covered by Matz Sels, goalkeeper of Racing de Strasbourg.
The problems in the Qatar 2022 World Cup
During the World Cup in Qatar last year, the Belgian squad had already had internal problems as a result of some statements by De Bruyne: “We are too old. I think our opportunity was 2018. We have a good team, but it is getting old.”.
Those sayings were answered in a bad way by Jan Vertonghen: “I suppose we attack badly because we are also too old in attack”.
In addition, it was leaked that several members of the squad do not speak to each other and have a very bad relationship after the team’s defeat against Morocco: “Kevin De Bruyne and Thibaut Courtois haven’t spoken to each other for years for private reasons. Michy Batshuayi and Romelu Lukaku aren’t best friends either. Eden Hazard and Leandro Trossard don’t speak to each other”.
Source: Ambito
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