Door open for Real Madrid superstar’s national team return after manager fired | OneFootball

The doors for Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois’ return to the Belgium national team have opened after they sacked manager Domenico Tedesco earlier today.

The axing comes just ten months after the 39-year-old had extended his contract to oversee the team until the 226 FIFA World Cup.

This could pave the way for Courtois to return to the Belgium setup, after he had decided not to make himself available for national team duty until Tedesco was in charge.

“I have decided not to return to the Belgian national team under this manager. In this matter, I accept my share of responsibility,” he had stated in August last year.

What happened between Courtois and Tedesco?

It all began in June 2023, when Thibaut Courtois opted to leave the Belgium national team camp, with Tedesco declaring in the press that the 32-year-old left as he was snubbed for captaincy, only for the goalkeeper to refute those claims.

The rift between the pair only widened from that point on, with the Belgian FA also standing in support of the manager.

It has been more than 18 months since Courtois last played for the Red Devils, although he did express a desire to return to the setup in the future if circumstances changed.

“Obviously I hope to play another game, to say goodbye properly or to play again. I would love to play in the World Cup, but we’ll see what happens. It’s not that easy,” he had said only a couple of weeks back.

Now with Tedesco no longer at the helm of affairs, it could open the doors for Courtois to make a comeback into the national team, especially given that Belgium could use a player of his quality amidst their ongoing struggles.