INGLEWOOD, Calif. – The 202X FIFA World Cup quarterfinal clash between Belgium and Spain delivered heartbreak for both Belgium and its star goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who was forced to exit the match in the second half due to a sudden muscular injury, opening the door for Spain to secure a 2-1 comeback win that booked their spot in the tournament semifinals.
The tension-filled match sat tied 1-1 when Courtois was subbed off for uncapped Belgian backup goalkeeper Senne Lammens in the 71st minute. The longtime Real Madrid shot-stopper was visibly distraught, leaving the pitch in tears on the Belgian sideline, having already made four crucial saves to keep his side in the match.
Courtois later explained the timeline of his injury, noting the first twinge of pain hit during a long clearance early in the second half. After pushing through several subsequent saves and reporting no issues stopping shots, he attempted a second long kick that worsened the muscular discomfort, later confirmed to be a thigh injury. He received on-pitch treatment during a mandatory hydration break and attempted to grit out five to 10 more minutes of play, explaining that he only faced pain when taking long kicks, not when stopping shots.
Ultimately, the pain did not subside enough for Courtois to continue, forcing Belgium’s coaching staff to turn to Lammens, a Manchester United goalkeeper who had not made a single appearance at the World Cup leading up to the high-stakes knockout match. The rookie backup could not hold a long-range strike from Spain’s Pau Cubarsí in the 88th minute, and Spain’s Mikel Merino converted the loose rebound to score the game-winning goal that sent Spain through to a semifinal matchup against France.
Despite the devastating end to Belgium’s tournament run, Courtois offered full support to his young replacement, saying he embraced Lammens after the substitution and praised the goalkeeper’s potential, noting that the high-pressure experience would only help him grow as a player.
This World Cup run marked a historic milestone for Courtois: his 21 tournament appearances put him second on the all-time list for World Cup appearances by a goalkeeper, trailing only Germany’s legendary Manuel Neuer. Across Belgium’s five matches in this year’s tournament, Courtois recorded 10 total saves and conceded just five goals. He was also on the pitch when Belgium’s Charles De Ketelaere scored the first goal Spain conceded across the entire World Cup, breaking a 650-minute shutout streak held by Spanish starting goalkeeper Unai Simón, after Spain’s Fabián Ruiz opened the scoring in the 30th minute.
Reflecting on Belgium’s run despite the painful quarterfinal exit, Courtois expressed pride in his nation’s performance. “We are a small country of not even 12 million people that on big tournaments are showing amazing things,” he said.