Real Madrid Star’s World Cup Injury Could Doom the Season Before It Begins

Los Blancos could be without one of their best players when the season kicks off next month.

Thibaut Courtois likely played in his final World Cup. | Eric Verhoeven/Soccrates/Getty Images

Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was in tears as he came out of the Red Devils’ quarterfinal match against Spain with a thigh injury, a nightmare sight for Real Madrid ahead of the 2026–27 season.

The 34-year-old played every second of the 2026 World Cup for his country until he sustained a problem just before the second-half hydration break against La Roja. Courtois had gone to the ground to stop a dangerous strike from Mikel Oyarzabal, and then called for the medical staff just moments later.

He tried to continue on, but he was eventually replaced in the 71st minute with Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens. Courtois came off in tears, and could only watch from the bench as his replacement spilled the save that Mikel Merino buried to send Spain through to the semifinals.

The fact that Courtois could not continue, combined with his emotional reaction, had Real Madrid fans spiraling—but the Belgian’s postgame remarks give hope that the issue may not be as serious as it looked.

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Courtois Reveals the Extent of His Injury

Thibaut Courtois (right) came out in the 71st minute on Friday. | Etienne Laurent/AFP/Getty Images

Following Belgium’s 2–1 loss, Courtois told the media, “I felt a lot of pain in my quadriceps. But I had no problem with staying in goal though, only for long kicks.

“In the end the manager decided to take me off. This is no problem as the team goes above everything.”

Belgium boss Rudi Garcia is likely regretting his decision after seeing Lammens hand Spain the win, but the manager backed the substitution in his postgame press conference.

“You need to be concentrated and able to perform for these types of games,” he said. “From the beginning of World Cup, I didn’t want players on the pitch who were not 100% and that was Courtois.

“He was excellent throughout the World Cup, but we didn’t want his injury to get worse and that is why we took him off.”

Courtois made four saves before he had to leave the game, keeping Lamine Yamal and Co. quiet apart from Fabián Ruiz’s rebound in the 30th minute. The shot-stopper only let in six goals total on the world stage this summer in his 551 minutes between the posts, but now question marks hover over his future, especially considering his past.

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Courtois’s Injury History Leaves Real Madrid Fearing the Worst

Thibaut Courtois must undergo further tests to find out the extent of his injury. | Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Despite Courtois’s explanation after the game, Real Madrid will be sweating over his fitness until he undergoes tests. The former Chelsea man has a long history of injuries, especially in recent seasons, that have kept him sidelined for lengthy spells.

Courtois is also not always the most reliable source. After he came out at halftime against Manchester City in the Champions League last season, the keeper looked in high spirits and all signs indicated the change was just a precaution.

Then, tests confirmed he suffered a muscle injury in his right quadriceps—seemingly a similar injury to the one he suffered against Spain—and he went on to miss nearly seven weeks of action. During that time, Real Madrid crashed out of the Champions League and fell out of the La Liga title race.

If Courtois is headed back to the infirmary for an extended stay, he could miss the start of the 2026–27 campaign, forcing José Mourinho to start backup keeper Andriy Lunin. The Ukrainian was poor last season when called upon, keeping just one clean sheet in 12 appearances.

Losing Courtois would be disastrous for a Real Madrid side desperate to get off to a strong start next season after two years without a major prize. The goalkeeper is so often the best player on the pitch for Los Blancos, and playing without him leaves a major hole in Mourinho’s already fractured squad.

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