Thibaut Courtois Returns to Belgium Squad Amid Criticism from Former Players

Thibaut Courtois has returned to the Belgium national team after a 22-month absence, but his comeback has been met with criticism from former players, including Philippe Albert and Marc Wilmots.

Thibaut Courtois has ended his 22-month self-imposed exile from the Belgium national team, joining up with the squad on Monday. However, his return has been met with criticism from former Belgian internationals.

Courtois' last appearance for Belgium was in June 2023, when a dispute with then-coach Domenico Tedesco over the captaincy led to his departure. The situation has since changed, with Tedesco being sacked and replaced by Rudi Garcia in January, paving the way for Courtois' return to the team.

Koen Casteels, Belgium's regular goalkeeper for the past two years, has announced his decision to quit the national team in protest of Thibaut Courtois' return. Additionally, some of Courtois' teammates have expressed veiled criticism regarding his prolonged absence. Courtois, 32, is expected to address the media on Tuesday, but his return has been met with skepticism.

Former Belgium coach Marc Wilmots, under whom Courtois earned 41 caps between 2012 and 2016, has publicly expressed his disapproval of Courtois' recall. Wilmots stated, “I would not have called him up yet. I would have let these two matches pass.” He was referring to Belgium's upcoming Nations League playoff matches against Ukraine in Murcia, Spain, and Genk. Wilmots elaborated, ”I would have first seen, heard and felt within the squad what they think of the issue. I would have spoken to Casteels, shown respect to the players who were there and who did it without Courtois and only then I might have integrated Courtois.” Wilmots shared his thoughts on Belgian radio.

Check-in at Proximus Basecamp. ☑️ pic.twitter.com/690syyRtFm

— Belgian Red Devils (@BelRedDevils) March 17, 2025

Philippe Albert, a former Belgium defender and current television pundit, has expressed strong criticism of Thibaut Courtois' past actions. Albert stated, “He still slammed the door on the national team, a week before his wedding. He did our national team a disservice.” Albert's comments highlight the lingering resentment towards Courtois' sudden departure from the team.

Belgium coach Rudi Garcia has taken a more diplomatic approach, focusing on the benefits of having Courtois back in the squad. Garcia said, “Thibaut is one of the best goalkeepers in the world, if not the best, and it's great to have him in the squad.” Garcia acknowledged that there would be a discussion with Courtois about his past actions, but emphasized the importance of moving forward. “We will talk once with the group about what happened, but that's it. This is a new adventure, and I want to move forward.”

Courtois' return to the Belgium squad was marked by a low-key arrival at the team's training camp on Monday. Despite the subdued entrance, Courtois' return received extensive coverage from local media outlets.