Courtois Hints at International Retirement, Admits Mourinho Disagreements. How Did the Coach Motivate Him?

The Real Madrid goalkeeper hinted at a press conference before Belgium's opening match against Egypt (1-1) that his time with the national team might soon be over. The 34-year-old Belgian is considering hanging up his international gloves after the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Mexico, and Canada.

“I don't know if it's the right time to talk about it, but it's more likely that I won't continue. I'm 34 years old and I have to think about my body,” he explained during the “Red Devils” training camp.

His thoughts about retiring from the national team stem from a desire to maintain peak performance for as long as possible. “I want to play at the highest level for many more years. I think it's time to pass the baton to the next generation. They are ready,” emphasized the former Chelsea player, as quoted by the Portuguese portal A Bola.

In an interview discussing his past and future, the two-time Champions League winner also reminisced about working with José Mourinho in West London from 2013 to 2015. Under the Portuguese coach, they jointly won the English Premier League title and the League Cup. “Mourinho is a very direct coach, and I am the same. Our relationship was always very good,” he admitted.

Nevertheless, he conceded that there were occasional tensions between them. “We had our small disagreements too,” he added with a laugh. As an example, he cited a match against Everton when the famous Portuguese manager benched him because, in the previous game against Aston Villa, he had twice sent the ball inaccurately out of bounds: “It was his way of motivating me. The very next week, I was back in goal and made five or six crucial saves against West Ham.”

Looking ahead to his future in the Spanish capital, Thibaut Courtois expressed a desire to end his career with the royal club. “If I continue to play as well as I have been, a contract extension won't be an issue. However, Real Madrid is a top club, and one day they will have to think about my successor,” he concluded.