Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has hinted that the 2026 FIFA World Cup could be the last edition of the tournament that he would be playing in. At 34 years old, the seasoned veteran stated that he wishes to stay longer at Real Madrid and to have an extended career with the club. The love for the club is evident in him considering sacrificing his international commitment partly by reducing his workload and focussing on the career with the club. The Belgian goalkeeper has undoubtedly been one of the best goalkeepers in world football and his international retirement could be a huge miss for the country.

The decision of Thibaut Courtois to step away from international football could mark the end of an era in the Belgium squad with most of their star players bidding farewell. Alongside their icon Kevin De Bruyne and clinical Romelu Lukaku, Courtois anchored a squad that famously secured a third-place finish at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Belgium had a squad that was arguably one of the best in the world with many of the players dominating their leagues in club football. This could be an emotional moment for the Belgium fans as they could see the curtains coming down on their best players.

Belgium face mounting pressure in Group G

In Group G, Belgium are still yet to get a move on as they still haven’t secured a win from their first two games. They went into the group as the favourites to qualify but now, it seems like their chances are getting slimmer with every passing game in the group. Belgium were held at bay by Iran in the clash between the sides and this result would have raised a few eyebrows in the dugout. Thibaut Courtois had a fine outing against Iran as he kept a clean sheet but the rest of the players weren’t able to break the deadlock despite taking 22 shots and having a ball possession of 68%.

The draw leaves both nations in a tight spot with Belgium in 3rd place with 2 points and Iran in 2nd place with 2 points as well from their opening two matches. These kinds of results have kept Group G wide open, piling immense pressure on Belgium ahead of their final group-stage fixture. Thibaut Courtois will have a huge role to play in their final group stage fixture as they will have to secure the 3 points. It will not be the most difficult of tasks as they have to take on New Zealand but for a team that failed to secure a win against Egypt and Iran, things could lie in balance.

Meanwhile, Belgian fans have started looking at the talent of the young prospect in Senne Lammens as they share similar traits. Manchester United’s rising young goalkeeper Senne Lammens is frequently being discussed as the natural successor to the national team's No. 1 jersey. There hasn’t exactly been a definitive decision from Thibaut Courtois but the experts would be looking to fill the massive void that could be left by the Real Madrid star with his departure.