Thibaut Courtois, the esteemed Belgian goalkeeper, returned to the national team in early 2025 after a significant hiatus marked by controversy and internal disputes. A winning sport bet is available at 1xBet that can also be made on the Belgian national side too. In addition to Courtois himself, this story also has other protagonists, including:
- Domenico Tedesco;
- Romelu Lukaku;
- Koen Casteels;
- and Rudi Garcia.
His absence, beginning in June 2023, stemmed from a fallout with then-coach Domenico Tedesco, primarily over a captaincy disagreement. The 1xBet website has a winning bet that can be made on football and other sports, and matches between national squads can be wagered too.
During a European Championship qualifier against Austria, Courtois, celebrating his 100th cap, anticipated wearing the captain’s armband. However, Tedesco assigned it to Romelu Lukaku, leading to Courtois’s abrupt departure from the squad before a subsequent match against Estonia.
A broken relationship
Courtois publicly refuted claims that his exit was solely due to the captaincy issue, emphasizing a broader erosion of trust with Tedesco. Punters can always visit the trusted football betting sites – 1xbet.bi/en/line/football has wagers on other great football goalkeepers too.
He expressed that the situation could have been handled better and acknowledged the complexities surrounding his decision.
The goalkeeper’s self-imposed exile lasted nearly 2 years, during which Koen Casteels assumed the starting role. The 1xBet platform is a trusted football betting site that also comes with all of Belgium’s matches too.
Casteels’s performances were pivotal during this period, especially as Belgium navigated the challenges of UEFA Euro 2024 without Courtois.
Another problem appears
The landscape shifted with the appointment of Rudi Garcia as the new head coach in early 2025. It is a great idea to try live football betting website 1xBet when great national sides play too.
Garcia’s arrival paved the way for Courtois’s return, signaling a potential reconciliation and a fresh chapter for the national team. However, this decision was met with mixed reactions. Casteels announced his resignation from international duty, criticizing the Belgian Football Association for what he perceived as preferential treatment towards Courtois.
He argued that the federation’s actions contradicted the principles of teamwork and fairness, sentiments echoed by some teammates. Now, grab your popcorn as you follow those developments while also trying the live football betting website 1xBet and its great wagering opportunities.