- Title: New Belgium coach Garcia hopes for Courtois return
- Date: 24th January 2025
- Summary: TUBIZE, BELGIUM (JANUARY 24, 2025) (REUTERS) NEW COACH OF BELGIUM'S MEN'S SOCCER TEAM, RUDI GARCIA, ARRIVING FOR PRESS CONFERENCE GARCIA WAITING FOR QUESTIONS PRESS CONFERENCE ONGOING (SOUNDBITE) (French) NEW COACH OF BELGIUM'S MEN'S SOCCER TEAM, RUDI GARCIA, SAYING: "We certainly need to improve the results of the Belgian national team because it was at the top of the wor
- Embargoed: 7th February 2025 15:43
- Keywords: Belgium Garcia Gunnarsdottir Soccer
- Location: TUBIZE, BELGIUM
- City: TUBIZE, BELGIUM
- Country: Belgium
- Topics: Europe,Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA001594324012025RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: New Belgium coach Rudi Garcia believes the signs are positive for a return to the national team for goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who has not featured for the side since June 2023 following a dispute with former coach Domenico Tedesco.
Courtois made himself unavailable after being overlooked for the captaincy by Tedesco, but the latter’s axing earlier this month has opened the door for a return for the 32-year-old.
"Thibaut Courtois is one of the greatest players in Belgium," Garcia told reporters on Friday. "We still have good goalkeepers, but Thibaut is the best goalkeeper in the world in my opinion.
"It would be good to be able to count on him. The signals are positive."
Experienced striker Romelu Lukaku and midfielder Kevin de Bruyne opted out of Nations League matches towards the end of 2024, and Garcia is eager to gauge their feelings towards the national side.
Garcia said he will rely on former Belgium midfielder Eden Hazard for knowledge of the squad, but that he would not have a formal role on the technical team.
"I talk to Eden Hazard a lot. He will also be a part of the adventure to the (2026) World Cup. He will help us a little," Garcia said.
"He can be important because he was part of the team. It can be interesting to have one of the best Belgian players of all time behind me."
Belgium will face Ukraine in March in a two-legged promotion/relegation tie to retain their place in the top-tier Nations League A, before meeting North Macedonia, Wales, Liechtenstein and Kazakhstan in World Cup qualifiers.
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