'Say it to my face': Courtois speaks after return to national team, aims dig at ex-manager and teammate
Thibaut Courtois is back with the Belgium national team after a nearly two-year absence following a disagreement with former Belgium manager Dominic Tedesco.
Speaking in his first press conference after his recall, Courtois said: "We spoke with the group on Monday and the conversation went well. There was a lot of misunderstanding and misinformation, so I wanted to tell the other players my truth.
"Now everyone has been able to understand what I had in mind.
"The issue of the captain's armband wasn't the central issue; reducing it to that was a mistake. I'm relieved to have been able to speak face-to-face and clear everything up. Now we can move on
"The 2023 season was long, and this episode was the final straw. I had some physical issues, but I still wanted to play for the Red Devils. The coach didn't come to speak to me even once. I'd never experienced anything like that before. I snapped, felt like he didn't respect me, and I lost confidence in him.
"At that moment, I knew there was no turning back. I know I don't have the easiest character; I'm a winner, and I can't change who I am. Sometimes we react emotionally and things get out of hand. You can have regrets, but I think the situation with this coach had gone too far.
"Lies have been told. When the coach claimed he had done everything possible to resolve the situation, that wasn't true. I felt the need to respond to those falsehoods.
"It's hard to say. Maybe I would have acted differently with the group and the fans. Maybe I would have called some people internally to explain how I felt. Will I still be 100% myself in the future? Yes. My goal is to perform on the pitch and show the public that I still have a lot of desire to play for the national team," Courtois said.
Belgium goalkeeper Koen Casteels decided to quit the national team following Courtois's return to the team.
Casteels had criticized the decision to allow Courtois to return to the Belgium fold without any consequences.
Addressing Casteels, Courtois said, "I understand that he's not happy about losing his place as number 1 in the national team. He has the right to make his own decisions.
"He's expressed some criticism, but I don't think the others in the group share his opinion. If someone has something to say to me, I prefer them to say it to my face. That's how I like to operate," Courtois concluded.
