Onana out, Courtois questions Belgium future after Spain exit
Onana's World Cup ends with a torn ACL
"Mijn hele wereld stortte in", my whole world collapsed. Amadou Onana tore his cruciate ligament during the round-of-16 win against the USA, ruling him out for months (1). Belgium's midfield lost a key piece just as the tournament was opening up.
Belgium out after 2–1 quarter-final loss to Spain
Your team's World Cup ended Friday. Spain 2–1 Belgium in the quarter-final (2) (3) (4) (5) (8) (11). A tight match, decided late, and the Rode Duivels are heading home. Argentina and England both advanced to the semi-finals elsewhere (3). The four semi-finalists have now been confirmed, all former world champions (4).
Garcia under fire for Courtois substitution
Rudi Garcia took Thibaut Courtois off in the Spain match. Senne Lammens came on and made the error that led to Mikel Merino's decisive goal, with Pau Cubarsí involved in the buildup (8). The backlash was immediate. Garcia defended himself: "Only players who are 100% fit can play" (8). Fans are not buying it.
Courtois wants guarantees to stay with Belgium
Thibaut Courtois is not walking away quietly. The 34-year-old said he will continue with the national team only "if the leadership accepts that" (5) (6) (7) (9) (10). Lammens' error and the substitution controversy have made this a full-blown saga. One Belgian football chief warned a sabbatical year would be "not only dangerous, it is explosive" (9). Dutch media piled on too, calling Courtois an "unsympathetic guy" (10).
De Bruyne and Lukaku futures also uncertain
The Courtois question is not the only one. Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku both face decisions about their Belgium careers after this exit (7). No firm announcements yet, but the silence is loud.
Players say goodbye on Instagram
Courtois, Romelu Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne, and Youri Tielemans all posted emotional messages after the elimination. Courtois wrote: "This is difficult to process" (11). The tone across the squad is heavy.
Arsenal watching Club Brugge striker Tresoldi
Away from the World Cup, Arsenal have concrete interest in Nicolo Tresoldi. The 21-year-old German striker plays for Club Brugge (12). Early stages, but one to follow.
De Medina joins Würzburger Kickers
Nathan de Medina has signed for Würzburger Kickers (13). The Belgian defender moves to Germany on a permanent deal.
Fan-reaktioner
Belgian supporters online are drifting into nostalgia, a clip of Eden Hazard's 2018 World Cup magic is circulating again, a reminder of how close that golden generation came. Meanwhile, Spanish fans are celebrating their 36-match unbeaten run after knocking Belgium out, one shy of Italy's all-time record of 37. A lighter moment from the match also surfaced: Lamine Yamal's reaction when his younger brother appeared on the stadium screen.
Sources
- 1. nieuwsblad.be — “Mijn hele wereld stortte in”: Amadou Onana deelt voor het eerst zijn verhaal na kruisbandblessure en WK-uitschakeling
- 2. hln.be — Na een maand in de VS: Rode Duivels landen rond 10 uur in België
- 3. nieuwsblad.be — Engeland wipt Noorwegen, Argentinië heeft verlengingen nodig en Rode Duivels hangen in de lucht: dit heb je vannacht gemist op het WK
- 4. nieuwsblad.be — Ze werden alle vier al eens wereldkampioen: bekijk hier de affiches voor de halve finales op het WK
- 5. sportnieuws.nl — Veelbesproken keeper Thibaut Courtois (34) spreekt zich uit over toekomst bij België: 'Als de leiding dat accepteert'
- 6. telegraaf.nl — Belgische gigant Thibaut Courtois wil door bij Rode Duivels ondanks kater op WK 2026, maar stelt wel voorwaarden
- 7. nieuwsblad.be — Thibaut Courtois stelt zijn toekomst bij de Rode Duivels in vraag, maar hoe zit het met Kevin De Bruyne en Romelu Lukaku?
- 8. theguardian.com — Rudi Garcia faces Belgian backlash for taking Courtois off in World Cup loss to Spain
- 9. nieuwsblad.be — “Zo’n sabbatjaar is niet alleen gevaarlijk, het is explosief”: onze chef voetbal heeft begrip voor de vraag van Thibaut Courtois, maar waarschuwt de bond ook
- 10. fcupdate.nl — Oranje Café maakt gehakt van ‘onsympathieke gozer’ van België
- 11. sporza.be — "Dit is moeilijk te verwerken": Rode Duivels schrijven emoties na WK van zich af met afscheidsposts op Instagram
- 12. dailycannon.com — Arsenal have concrete interest in 21yo German striker