Real Madrid star after World Cup exit: ‘I want to stop playing international football for a year’ | OneFootball

Real Madrid star Thibaut Courtois has this weekend revealed his intention to take a lengthy break from international football.

This of course comes fresh off nothing short of a heartbreaking evening for the shot-stopper and his fellow countrymen on Friday.

Belgium were back in action 24 hours ago, locking horns with Spain with a place in the semi-finals of the World Cup on the line. When all was said and done, it was La Roja who emerged victorious, courtesy of a last-gasp 2-1 triumph.

Not only that, but the late winner netted by Mikel Merino came after Belgium’s no.1, the aforementioned Courtois, had been forced off with an injury problem.

And the mental toll of the nature of his nation’s defeat has evidently since taken a major toll on the Real Madrid man…

Speaking to the media in Los Angeles in the aftermath of Friday’s clash, Courtois admitted that he intends to step away from international duties for the next 12 months:

“I want to rest for a year without any Belgium matches, and then play the Euro qualifiers and the 2028 Euros. I don’t know if Belgium will agree to this.”

Conor Laird – GSFN