Belgian national goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has clarified the nature of the thigh injury that led to his substitution during Belgium's World Cup 2026 quarter-final defeat against Spain. The Real Madrid stopper was visibly emotional when he left the pitch in the 70th minute, a decision that ultimately preceded a decisive error by his replacement, Senne Lammens, costing Belgium a semi-final spot.
Courtois explained that he first felt a sensation near his muscle after a long kick early in the second half. Despite making several saves afterwards and feeling capable of continuing, a second long kick exacerbated the discomfort. Recognising it as a muscular issue requiring caution, Courtois acknowledged the coach's prerogative, stating, "Obviously, I wanted to continue but the coach wanted someone 100%. So OK, it's his decision." He added that his ability to make saves was not impacted, only his long kicking.
The substitution saw Manchester United's Senne Lammens enter the game. In the dying minutes, Lammens made a crucial error which directly led to Mikel Merino scoring Spain's match-winner. This goal propelled Spain into the semi-finals and sent Belgium home, marking a disappointing end to their World Cup campaign.
Despite the circumstances, Courtois offered his full support to Lammens, embracing him and stating that the young goalkeeper has a "strong personality" and will grow from the experience. For Courtois himself, the immediate future involves rest and an assessment of the injury, though he expressed his personal disappointment at having to exit a World Cup quarter-final.
Spain will now prepare to face France in a highly anticipated all-European semi-final clash. The match is scheduled to take place in Dallas on Tuesday, 15 July 2026, and will be a repeat of the Euro 2024 semi-final, which Spain won 2-1.