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Thibaut Courtois Excluded from Belgium Squad for Euro 2024
Thibaut Courtois, the Real Madrid goalkeeper, has been omitted from the Belgium squad for Euro 2024, despite his potential involvement in the upcoming Champions League final. Courtois had departed from the Belgium squad in June of the previous year after he was not designated as captain following Eden Hazard’s retirement, resulting in a public disagreement with coach Domenico Tedesco.
The 32-year-old received criticism from his teammates and has since expressed remorse for his actions. Courtois had been sidelined for a significant portion of the season due to two severe knee injuries. He made his return against Cádiz in LaLiga on May 4 and subsequently kept clean sheets against Granada, Alavés, and Real Betis.
Courtois’ Fitness Concerns
Sources within the club have indicated that, provided he is physically prepared, there is no doubt that Courtois will be the starting goalkeeper for the Champions League final. Tedesco remarked during a press conference that Courtois had been forthcoming and transparent about his condition, revealing that the latest update confirmed his unavailability for the European Championship due to being not fully fit.
Despite the allowance for coaches to select a 26-man squad for the tournament, Tedesco opted to name only 25 players for the squad heading to Germany. Notably, Axel Witsel, who had previously announced his retirement from international duty, has been recalled to the squad after Tedesco personally visited Atlético Madrid to persuade the midfielder to rejoin the team.
Axel Witsel’s Return and Squad Inclusions
Witsel, who last featured for Belgium in the World Cup in Qatar, where they were knocked out in the group stage, has been lauded by Tedesco for the quality and experience he brings to the team. Jan Vertonghen, a former Ajax and Tottenham defender with 154 caps for his country, has also been included in the squad at the age of 37.
The squad features prominent players like Romelu Lukaku, Belgium’s top scorer, who has scored 83 goals in 114 appearances. The full Belgium squad includes goalkeepers Koen Casteels, Thomas Kaminski, and Matz Sels; defenders such as Timothy Castagne, Maxim De Cuyper, and Jan Vertonghen; midfielders Yannick Carrasco, Kevin De Bruyne, and Youri Tielemans; and forwards like Charles De Ketelaere, Jeremy Doku, and Dodi Lukebakio among others.
Information from Reuters has contributed to the reporting on this matter.
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