Thibaut Courtois has tipped Spain to go on and win the World Cup after they knocked his Belgium side out in the quarter-finals. The Real Madrid goalkeeper, speaking after a 2-1 defeat, declared that Spain are the team to beat and predicted the winner of their semi-final against France will lift the trophy.
Spain edge past Belgium in tight quarter-final
Spain took the lead after 30 minutes through Fabian Ruiz, but Belgium levelled before half-time when Charles De Ketelaere scored his first goal of the tournament. The match remained evenly poised until the 88th minute, when Belgium goalkeeper Senne Lammens spilled Pau Cubarsi's effort, allowing Mikel Merino to tap in from close range for the winner.
Courtois, making his 115th appearance for Belgium, was forced off in the second half with a left thigh injury after receiving treatment on the pitch. He was visibly upset as he was consoled by head coach Rudi Garcia before making his way to the bench, where he watched Lammens' costly error.
Courtois: Spain are the favourites
“The winner of the semi-final between France and Spain will become the world champion,” Courtois said. “Spain are the favourites overall. They are a team that can beat France or anyone else, and they are proving it on the pitch. We gave them a good game and put up a much bigger fight than people expected.”
Spain will now face France in a repeat of the Euro 2024 semi-final, which Spain won 2-1. Courtois believes that match is effectively the final, given the quality of both sides.
Belgium's performance and future
On his side's run to the last eight, Courtois said: “We proved that we have a good team. Perhaps in terms of individual quality we are slightly below the 2018 squad, but we have an excellent collective, a wonderful team spirit, and immense talent up front. At the end of the day, we are a small country; players like Lamine Yamal don’t appear every day. But we have a great team and a strong core. We will continue to make our mark in major tournaments, even though many people doubted us.”
Courtois also addressed his international future, insisting he has made no decisions but would like a break from the national team after the World Cup. “As for my future with the national team, we’ll see,” he added. “I’d perhaps like to take a break from the Nations League, as it’s not the most important thing. And maybe come back for the Euro qualifiers. But ultimately, it’s a decision the football association has to make. If not, perhaps today was my last match.”
