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Courtois to put Belgium career on hold

Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said in quotes published on Wednesday he has decided to put his Belgium career on standby until September 2027."If the goalkeeper playing in the Nations League performs well, Van Bommel might continue with him.

Courtois to put Belgium career on hold

Thibaut Courtois has announced he will put his Belgium career on hold until September 2027. The 34-year-old goalkeeper made his final international appearance at this summer's World Cup. Courtois will only return to the national team for Euro 2028 qualifiers next year. He will miss the upcoming Nations League campaign, which starts with a match against Italy on September 25.

Real Madrid goalkeeper Courtois informed the Red Devils' manager, Mark Van Bommel, of his decision beforehand. Van Bommel could not guarantee Courtois the starting No. 1 shirt. The goalkeeper said he has put himself on standby for the European Championship qualifiers if the national coach faces injury problems. The 24-year-old Senne Lammens from Manchester United and the 21-year-old Mike Penders from Chelsea are among the options for Van Bommel in Courtois' absence.

Courtois expressed his desire to fight for his place as the first-choice keeper and prove he can be the starter again.

Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.

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