Courtois Supports Lammens, Reveals Injury Details

Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois spoke to the press following his team's 2-1 defeat to Spain in the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup.

Regarding his injury and substitution in the 71st minute, Courtois said: "I felt pain while executing a long ball. I was struggling after about 30 similar kicks, and I started to feel it even in some saves, so I sat down for the doctor to examine me."

He added: "I wanted to continue, but I couldn't kick the ball. I could have played for another five minutes, but the coach decided to substitute me if I wasn't fully fit."

The veteran goalkeeper left the pitch in tears, just before his team suffered a harsh blow when Mikel Merino scored the winning goal for Spain, capitalizing on a rebound from substitute goalkeeper Sin Lammens.

Despite Lammens' mistake, Courtois was keen to support him, stating: "The pitch was very dry, and he was just unlucky. We shouldn't blame the young player; this is football, and he has had a great season with Manchester United."

He concluded regarding the nature of his injury: "We'll see what the MRI shows, and I hope it's not serious, and I don't think it is."