Thibaut Courtois, Belgium’s 34-year-old goalkeeper and one of the most decorated shot-stoppers in modern football, was substituted in the 71st minute of Belgium’s World Cup 2026 quarterfinal against Spain on July 10. He left the pitch at SoFi Stadium in tears, clutching what appeared to be a hip or thigh injury sustained while diving to stop a shot from Spain’s Mikel Oyarzabal.
Minutes later, Spain’s Mikel Merino buried the decisive goal. Belgium’s tournament was over.
What happened on the pitch
Courtois, who has accumulated over 100 international caps for Belgium, went down attempting a save and was unable to continue. Senne Lammens came on as his replacement during a hydration break.
For Courtois personally, the moment was devastating. The Real Madrid starter has battled a brutal sequence of lower-body injuries over the past two years, including an ACL tear in 2023 and recurring thigh strains and knee problems that have limited his availability at both club and international level.
