Thibaut Courtois

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15 Mar 2024

Thibaut Courtois

Thibaut Courtois is a highly esteemed Belgian professional footballer renowned for his exceptional goalkeeping abilities. Born on May 11, 1992, Courtois has made a significant impact both at club and international levels.He commenced his career with Genk and made his senior debut at the tender age of 16 in 2009. Courtois quickly established himself as Genk's first-choice goalkeeper, contributing to the club's success in winning the Belgian Pro League.

Courtois made a notable move to Chelsea in a transfer deal valued at around £8 million. However, he was immediately loaned out to Atlético Madrid, where he achieved remarkable success. During his time at Atlético, Courtois secured a La Liga title, the Copa del Rey, and the Europa League, and also reached the UEFA Champions League final.
Returning to Chelsea in 2014, Courtois continued his impressive performances, helping the team to secure two Premier League titles and the EFL Cup. His talent and contributions earned him recognition as one of the world's top goalkeepers.

Courtois joined Real Madrid in a high-profile transfer, setting a record as La Liga's most expensive goalkeeper with a reported fee of £35 million (€38.8 million). Since joining Real Madrid, Courtois has continued to excel, clinching two La Liga titles and the prestigious UEFA Champions League.On the international stage, Courtois made his senior debut for Belgium in 2011, becoming the youngest goalkeeper to represent the national team at the senior level. He has amassed over 100 caps for Belgium and has participated in five major tournaments. Notably, at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Courtois played a pivotal role in Belgium's success, earning the Golden Glove award as the tournament's best goalkeeper and helping Belgium secure a third-place finish, their best-ever performance in the competition.

Courtois's impressive performances have garnered numerous accolades, including three Ricardo Zamora Trophies, the Premier League Golden Glove award, and recognition as the third-best goalkeeper of the decade (2011–2020) by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS). His reflexes, acrobatic saves, and command of the penalty area have solidified his reputation as one of the finest goalkeepers in the world.

Thibaut Courtois was born in the city of Bree in Flanders, Belgium, to a Walloon father and a Flemish mother. He began his football journey with local club Bilzen V.V., initially playing as a left-back. However, it was at the age of seven, in 1999, that Courtois joined Racing Genk, where his path took a significant turn as he transitioned into a goalkeeper.Courtois steadily progressed through the ranks of the Genk youth system, although initially, Koen Casteels was considered the primary goalkeeper. However, an injury crisis provided Courtois with an opportunity, and at the age of just 16 years and 341 days, he made his debut for the first team on April 17, 2009, against Gent. Despite receiving interest from TSG 1899 Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga, Courtois decided to stay with Genk.

For the 2010–11 season, Courtois was elevated to the position of first-choice goalkeeper ahead of Casteels, as Laszlo Koteles faced registration issues. This decision proved to be pivotal as Courtois played a significant role in Genk's title victory in the Belgian Pro League. His outstanding performances earned him accolades such as the Goalkeeper of the Year award and Genk's Player of the Year award. Courtois conceded just 32 goals in 40 league matches and kept an impressive 14 clean sheets during the season, showcasing his immense talent and potential as a goalkeeper.

Thibaut Courtois made a significant move to Premier League club Chelsea for a reported fee of €9 million, signing a five-year contract with the club. However, shortly after joining Chelsea, Courtois was sent out on a season-long loan to Atlético Madrid.
During the 2011–12 season, Courtois quickly made an impact at Atlético Madrid. He made his debut for the club in a 4–0 victory over Vitória de Guimarães in the UEFA Europa League on August 25. Just three days later, he kept a clean sheet in his La Liga debut, helping Atlético secure a goalless draw against Osasuna at the Vicente Calderón Stadium.

Courtois soon established himself as the first-choice goalkeeper ahead of Sergio Asenjo, impressing with his performances. He kept four clean sheets in his first six La Liga games, showcasing his talent and reliability between the posts. However, he received his first red card of his professional career on November 26, 2011, during the Madrid derby against Real Madrid. Courtois fouled Karim Benzema, resulting in a penalty for Real Madrid, which Cristiano Ronaldo converted as Atlético lost 1–4.Despite this setback, Courtois played a crucial role in Atlético's successful campaign in the UEFA Europa League. He kept a clean sheet in the final as Atlético secured a convincing 3–0 victory over fellow Spanish side Athletic Bilbao, helping the club clinch the Europa League title for the 2011–12 season.

In June 2014, Chelsea manager José Mourinho confirmed that Thibaut Courtois would be returning to Chelsea for the upcoming season. Courtois was assigned the number 13 shirt, previously worn by Victor Moses. Mourinho announced on 18 August that Courtois would start Chelsea's Premier League opener against Burnley, replacing Petr Čech. Despite conceding the first goal to Scott Arfield at Turf Moor, Chelsea emerged victorious with a 3–1 win.
Courtois kept his first Premier League clean sheet in his second game, making several crucial saves in a 2–0 home win over Leicester City. On 11 September 2014, he signed a new five-year contract with Chelsea, extending his stay at the club until 2019. Upon signing the contract, Courtois expressed his pleasure, stating, It’s really nice to have signed this new contract for five years.

However, Courtois faced an injury setback during Chelsea's 2–0 home win over Arsenal on 5 October. He sustained a head injury following a collision with Alexis Sánchez and was substituted before being taken to the hospital. Fortunately, Courtois was treated for a minor cut to his ear and was released from the hospital later that night.Despite the injury scare, Courtois enjoyed success with Chelsea during the 2014-2015 season. He won his first trophy with the club on 1 March 2015, as Chelsea defeated Tottenham Hotspur 2–0 in the League Cup final. Although Čech played in that match, Courtois contributed to Chelsea's success as they also clinched the Premier League title that season.