According to reports, Rudi Garcia, the head coach of Belgium, admitted that Thibaut Courtois tends to say what he thinks—sometimes maybe too much—but the French coach emphasized that he loves such players because they are obsessed with winning.

Garcia said: “He speaks his mind openly and loves to win. I also want to win with Belgium. When results aren’t good, he suffers. I need players with a winning mentality. Maybe sometimes he is too blunt, but I prefer a player who honestly expresses his opinion.”

Garcia not only praised the skills of Courtois, Real Madrid’s goalkeeper, but also highlighted Belgium’s other talents in this position: “We also have Matz Sels, a goalkeeper I really like, and a new generation like Maarten Vandevoordt, Senne Lammens, and Mike Penders. Belgium has a brilliant school for developing goalkeepers.”

Saudi Arabia for De Bruyne? Not a bad idea.

Garcia also spoke about Kevin De Bruyne, the captain of the Red Devils, who will leave Manchester City at the end of the season at the age of 34. He had previously stated that he still counts on De Bruyne for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, regardless of where he plays in the future.

He added: “The 2026 World Cup will be the last chance for Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne to shine. Saudi Arabia for Kevin? Not a bad idea; less time difference and shorter travel. Europe? Yes, he doesn’t need to play every three days.”

Garcia pointed out that De Bruyne has recently struggled with injuries and said that before the March camp, he wanted to make sure “whether he still has the passion and motivation to join the national team.” He continued: “In the return match in Genk, he was the leader we expect him to be. We want him to retire from the national team with pride.”