Belgian goalkeeper Koen Casteels has announced his retirement from international football, citing his disapproval of Thibaut Courtois’ potential return to the squad. Casteels’ decision comes after Belgium appointed Rudi Garcia as their new coach in January, prompting Courtois to express his willingness to rejoin the national team.
Casteels, 32, has been Belgium’s first-choice goalkeeper for the past 18 months, following Courtois’ self-imposed exile after a dispute with former coach Domenico Tedesco in mid-2023 over the captaincy. Casteels featured in goal for Belgium at Euro 2024, where the team was eliminated in the last 16.
Speaking on the Belgian podcast MidMid, Casteels expressed his dissatisfaction with the Belgian Football Association’s handling of the situation. “It’s strange that the football association has turned 180 degrees and is rolling out the red carpet and welcoming him back with open arms,” Casteels said. “First of all, I think it’s a bit strange that Courtois can decide for himself whether he can come back. It is not so much towards Thibaut, but mainly towards the football association. That does not fit in with the standards and values that I have about what a team sport or a sporting organisation should have.”
Courtois, 32, widely regarded as one of the world’s best goalkeepers, has 102 caps for Belgium. He has since met with new coach Rudi Garcia and expressed his desire to return to the national team setup last month.
Casteels, who has spent most of his career in the Bundesliga and now plays in Saudi Arabia, had been Courtois’ long-time understudy before assuming the starting role. He concluded, “As of today, I am no longer available (for the national team).” Casteels’ retirement highlights the potential disruption and controversy surrounding Courtois’ return and raises questions about team dynamics and the Belgian FA’s decision-making process.
Discover more from
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.