Tears for two Belgium goalkeepers

Tears flowed for Belgium's goalkeeping contingent as Thibaut Courtois succumbed to a leg injury during Friday's World Cup quarter-final against Spain. The veteran keeper sat on the bench, watching as his team ultimately fell 2-1 after Spain's Mikel Merino scored an 86th-minute winner. Courtois, 34, later offered comfort to his replacement, Senne Lammens, who was brought on in the 71st minute but could not prevent the late Spanish strike. "Senne, obviously, I gave him a big hug," Courtois told reporters. "I know, for goalkeepers, this is a shit feeling, and he's a great goalkeeper, and he will only get stronger from this."

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Senne, obviously, I gave him a big hug. I know, for goalkeepers, this is a shit feeling, and he's a great goalkeeper, and he will only get stronger from this.

Courtois explained he felt a twinge in his muscle early in the second half. "I felt something here in my muscle. Then, I did some saves, I felt okay, so I thought, okay, we'll continue. Then I kicked again long and I felt it a bit more." He indicated that the decision to substitute him was made by team manager Rudi Garcia. "Obviously, I wanted to continue, but yeah, the coach wanted someone 100 per cent, so okay, that's his decision. I wanted to try to play maybe five, 10 more minutes to see, because in goal I was feeling good." Courtois added that he felt fine making saves but struggled with long kicks.

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I felt something here in my muscle. Then, I did some saves, I felt okay, so I thought, okay, we'll continue. Then I kicked again long and I felt it a bit more.

Garcia lamented Courtois's absence as a pivotal moment in the match. "Losing him during the game - that was a hard hit to take," Garcia said. "When you start racking up the years you need to always be at 100 per cent of capacity. Because if you are not... it can be problematic." He concluded, "Thibaut was there to keep the ball out of the net, but unfortunately to beat a team of this calibre... the stars weren't aligned."

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Obviously, I wanted to continue, but yeah, the coach wanted someone 100 per cent, so okay, that's his decision. I wanted to try to play maybe five, 10 more minutes to see, because in goal I was feeling good.