Real Madrid star eyes national team return for 2026 World Cup despite being out since 2023 | OneFootball

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has expressed his desire to return to the Belgian national team and is focused on playing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Courtois has not represented Belgium since June 2023, following a falling out with the former national team coach, Domenico Tedesco.

However, with Rudi Garcia now in charge of the Belgian team, there has been a shift in the dynamic, prompting Courtois to comment on the possibility of his return.

Courtois wants to return

Courtois revealed that he had recently spoken with Rudi Garcia, who is planning to visit Madrid soon. He emphasized that there had never been any issues within the Belgian squad itself.

“I just spoke to Rudi Garcia. He will come to Madrid in the near future. There has never been a problem within the group,” he said as quoted by Mundo Deportivo.

The problem, according to Courtois, was solely with the previous coach, Tedesco. The goalkeeper also hinted that he would discuss his future with the national team at a press conference in the near future.

Thibaut Courtois wants to return to national team duty. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)

Despite the past tensions, Courtois is optimistic about a potential return to international duty, stating that it looks promising.

“It was purely a conflict with the previous coach, but I will probably talk about it again in a press conference. However, it looks good to be back,” he added.

Wants to feature in World Cup

To further clarify his stance, Courtois pointed again to his disagreement with Tedesco as the main reason for his absence from the national team. However, he also acknowledged that, in hindsight, Tedesco’s actions may have been justified.

Looking ahead, Courtois remains focused on his goal of playing in the 2026 World Cup. He mentioned that this has always been his ambition, despite the challenges that arose with the previous coach.

“My objective is to be able to play in the 2026 World Cup. That was always in my head, but I clashed with the previous national coach.”

As for the immediate future, Courtois left open the possibility of being called up for Belgium’s match against Ukraine in March, but he stressed that this would depend on the new coach’s decision.

“After all, in the long run, he was right. Will I be there against Ukraine in March? We will see if the coach calls me up,” he noted.

For now, Courtois is determined to continue working hard and to stay in top form as he aims to secure his place in the 2026 World Cup squad.