Courtois injured in Belgium's World Cup exit

Spain secured a spot in the 2026 World Cup semifinals by defeating Belgium 2-1, but the match was overshadowed by a significant injury to Belgium's star goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois.

The Real Madrid keeper was instrumental in keeping Belgium in the game for over an hour, making several crucial saves against Spanish attacks led by Lamine Yamal and Dani Olmo. However, Courtois sustained a muscular injury in the second half after a demanding save and was forced to leave the field in tears, visibly distressed.

His departure marked a turning point in the match. Courtois was replaced by Senne Lammens, who struggled to assert himself. Shortly after his entry, Lammens was unable to control a shot from Pau Cubarsí, spilling a rebound that Mikel Merino quickly converted to score the decisive 2-1 goal for Spain.

The injury not only ended Courtois's night on a painful note but also contributed to Belgium's elimination. The image of the visibly emotional goalkeeper leaving the pitch, supported by teammates and met with applause, captured the dramatic shift in the game's outcome.

“

A bit j..., but well. In a long hit I felt something, I thought the hamstring was loaded. In some save I noticed it a bit and in another long hit I felt it was getting worse. I sat down for a moment for the doctor to see it and I wanted to continue, but I couldn't hit and the coach told me that if I wasn't 100% he would change me. I said I was bad, that I couldn't hit long but I wanted to continue to see how it went, and that if I had to...