‘He Benched Me’—Thibaut Courtois Reveals Previous Clashes With Jose Mourinho

Thibaut Courtois admitted that he has had “clashes” with incoming Real Madrid manager José Mourinho, but insisted he likes the new boss’s direct way of handling his players.

Mourinho was finally confirmed as Madrid’s next manager this month, following Florentino Pérez’s re-election victory, and returns to the club he led to one La Liga title and one Copa Del Rey between 2010–2013.

The 63-year-old’s second coming is far from universally approved, with many fans and pundits trepidatious about the return of one of soccer’s more volatile characters.

Mourinho departed under the cloud in 2013 after a trophy-less season during which he fell out with several key figures. In the 13 years since, the Portuguese has won just one league title—with Chelsea in 2015—and has not lasted more than three years in any of the six clubs he has managed.

Courtois Favors Mourinho’s ‘Direct’ Style

José Mourinho’s abrasive style works for some players. | Valter Gouveia/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Courtois, however, has welcomed the arrival of Mourinho and his well-documented approach to man management.

“Mourinho is a very direct coach. I'm the same,” Courtois said, in a pre-match press conference ahead of Belgium’s World Cup opener against Egypt. “Our relationship has always been very good.”

The keeper, who worked with Mourinho previously during his time at Chelsea, admitted he did have fallings out with his manager on occasion, revealing one particular “clash”.

“We also had our occasional clashes,” Courtois, revealed while laughing. “For example, he benched me against Everton because I had missed two crosses in the previous match against Aston Villa. It was his way of provoking me. The following week, I was back in goal against West Ham and made five or six crucial saves.”

Mourinho History With Madrid Keepers

No tengo ningún problema con Mourinho. Me parece un gran profesional. No le quiero en el @realmadrid . Creo que otros entrenadores estarían mejor capacitados para entrenar en el club de mi vida. Opinión personal. Nada mas.
— Iker Casillas (@IkerCasillas) May 12, 2026

It bodes well that Courtois is on board with Mourinho’s tough-love approach. Back in 2013, the manager benched club legend and captain Iker Casillas, instead opting to play backup Diego López during a key part of the season.

Mourinho publicly insisted he simply preferred López as a keeper, while Casillas had suffered a dip in form. However, there was much speculation that the rift between coach and player went far beyond on-field performances.

Back in May, as speculation over Mourinho’s appointment began to ramp up, Casillas, now retired, posted on X: “I have no problem with Mourinho. He seems like a great professional to me. I don't want him at Real Madrid.

“I think other coaches would be better equipped to coach at the club of my life. Personal opinion. Nothing more.”

Courtois Plans to Retire at Madrid

Thibaut Courtois — Courtois’s contract expires next summer. | Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar/Getty Images

In the same press conference, Courtois, now 34, also admitted he would like to retire at Real Madrid.

“For me, the ideal would be to be able to finish my career in Madrid,” he said.

“At Real Madrid, the principle is that, from the age of 30, the contract is renewed year after year, so I'm quite relaxed about it. If I continue performing as I have been, a renewal won't be a problem. But Real Madrid is a top-level club and, at some point, they will also have to think about a successor.”

The two-time Champions League winner is under contract at the Bernabéu until 2027.

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