Belgium's Thibaut Courtois Suffers Injury and May Retire from National Team

Belgian and Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois sustained a hamstring injury during Belgium's World Cup quarterfinal match against Spain on July 10, 2026. The injury occurred in the 71st minute when Courtois fell to the ground and was visibly emotional, leaving the field in tears and replaced by Senna Lamens. After sitting on the bench, Courtois broke down crying, raising concerns about his future with the national team. Former Belgian player Mark Degryse commented that these might have been Courtois' final moments wearing the national jersey. Prior to the tournament, Courtois had expressed doubts about continuing with Belgium, stating the chances of retiring after this World Cup were higher than continuing. Media outlets in Belgium and England reflected on the emotional scene, with BBC noting Courtois appeared completely broken and highlighting that at age 34, he may have few World Cup appearances left, if any. The severity of the injury will be assessed in the coming days, but the incident has sparked speculation about Courtois' potential retirement from international football.