Thibaut Courtois Injured in Belgium’s World Cup Quarterfinal Loss to Spain
Thibaut Courtois exited Belgium’s World Cup quarterfinal match against Spain in the 71st minute after sustaining an injury.
The 34-year-old goalkeeper left the pitch at SoFi Stadium in tears following an apparent hip injury. The incident occurred as Courtois went down to make a save against Spain’s Mikel Oyarzabal. He remained on the ground during the second-half hydration break and was substituted by Senne Lammens shortly after play resumed.
Courtois appeared visibly emotional as he walked toward the bench during what may have been his final appearance for the national team.
Throughout his 115th appearance for Belgium, Courtois performed strongly, recording four saves on five shots on goal. His efforts kept the Red Devils in contention after Charles De Ketelaere equalized following Fabián Ruiz’s opening goal, bringing the score to 1-1.
Belgium’s situation deteriorated 15 minutes after the goalkeeper’s departure. Lammens, making his third international appearance, could not secure a shot from Pau Cubarsí, allowing Mikel Merino to score on the rebound for Spain.
Spain maintained their lead to secure a 2-1 victory, advancing to the semifinals for the first time since their 2010 World Cup championship. They are set to face France this Tuesday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.