Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has announced that he will no longer join the Belgian national team as long as Domenico Tedesco is the coach.
The dispute between Courtois and Tedesco has been ongoing since March 2023, when the Italian decided to give Romelu Lukaku the captain’s armband for Belgium instead of the goalkeeper in the absence of the main captain Kevin De Bruyne.
Last November, Courtois made statements attacking Tedesco after the coach threatened to publish everything he had said to the media if he left the national team camp in June 2023.
On Thursday, Courtois announced that he would not work with Tedesco again, and published a statement on Instagram attacking the coach once more.
Courtois wrote: “Unfortunately, after what happened with the coach and after much thought, I have decided not to return to the Belgian national team under his management.”
He added: “I am sorry to have disappointed some fans, but I am convinced that this is the best course of action for Belgium, as it closes the debate and allows the team to focus on achieving its goals.”
He concluded: “I take responsibility for my decision and I have had a conversation with the Belgian federation and explained my point of view.”
It is worth noting that Tedesco failed with Belgium at Euro 2024, as they were eliminated from the round of 16 with a 1-0 loss to France. Courtois was not with the team at his request after returning from a long injury last season.
