Belgium Coach: We Competed with Spain, But It's No Longer My Concern

Rudy Garcia expressed disappointment after Belgium's 2-1 loss to Spain in the 2026 World Cup quarter-finals, stating that his team played well and managed to compete with the Spanish side until the final moments.

In the post-match press conference, Garcia said: "We looked into Spain's eyes and competed with them fiercely. We also lost Courtois to injury, which was a bad stroke of luck, and we had to substitute De Bruyne before the end. I don't understand why referee Michael Oliver didn't review the handball incident on Rodri via VAR; that decision was not in our favor."

Regarding his future with the Belgian national team, the coach clarified: "I'm not thinking about that right now; we need to talk about the match. I feel a great disappointment for the players who may not return to participate in such a tournament. We gave it our all, but it wasn't enough."

Garcia spoke about Thibaut Courtois's injury, saying: "That's part of sports at the highest level. Courtois was excellent in everything, but we didn't want to aggravate his muscle injury. I don't regret the decision to substitute him; he is one of the best goalkeepers in the world, and any setback would have been a big problem."

Despite being eliminated from the tournament, the Belgian coach confirmed his satisfaction with the spirit his team displayed, adding: "We have to accept the defeat, but as I said before, we faced Spain head-on."

When asked about his predictions for the World Cup champion, Garcia simply said: "I wish the best for the best team. We know France will face Spain in the semi-finals, but that is no longer my concern now."