Courtois: This Could Be My Last Tournament with the National Team

Thibaut Courtois is contemplating retirement from international football after the upcoming World Cup, he revealed ahead of Belgium's Group G opener against Egypt in Seattle. The 34-year-old goalkeeper, who has earned 109 caps for his country since his 2011 debut, hinted that it might be time to pass the torch after the tournament co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

"I don't know if we should be talking about the future right now, but the chances of me not continuing after this tournament are higher than me doing so," he told reporters at the Belgian team's base. "I still want to play for a few more years, and I need to take care of my body. My family is here because this might be my last tournament."

However, the Real Madrid shot-stopper also left the door open for a potential continuation. "If we have a good World Cup, of course. And if we continue to feel a good atmosphere within the team. Then I'll need to have an internal discussion with the coach, technical director, and doctors."

Courtois mentioned that under former coach Domenico Tedesco, he was allowed to skip some national team camps, which aided his recovery. "I noticed that during those international breaks, you can rest and work calmly in the gym," he said. "Furthermore, over the last year and a half, I haven't had such physical problems and injuries, so naturally, you think more about the future. I'm considering passing the torch. There's a lot of talent like Sene and Mike."

Courtois expressed his eagerness to face Egypt on Monday. "Yes, I'm very 'hungry,' just like the rest of the team. I feel very good and I'm looking forward to it. I worked very hard for my return in the spring. The injury was unfortunate because at that moment I felt almost invincible. But now I'm ready to maintain my level and stay focused," he added.

Belgium will also face Iran and New Zealand in the group stage.