‘I am no longer available’ – Belgium No1 quits national team after Thibaut Courtois decided to make comeback
BELGIUM’S No1 has quit the national team after Thibaut Courtois was allowed to make a comeback.
Koen Casteels has announced his decision to step away from international duty with immediate effect.
He is not happy with the Belgian FA after they allowed Courtois to return to the national team fold.
Casteels stated he is no longer available for selection in an interview with Belgian podcast MidMid.
He said: “It’s strange that the football association has turned 180 degrees and is rolling out the red carpet and welcoming him back with open arms.
“First of all, I think it’s a bit strange that Courtois can decide for himself whether he can come back.
“It is not so much towards Thibaut, but mainly towards the football association. That does not fit in with the standards and values that I have about what a team sport or a sporting organisation should have.
“As of today, I am no longer available [for the national team].”
Courtois previously stepped down from Belgium duty after a fallout with former boss Domenico Tedesco.
He last featured for the Red Devils in June 2023 and was absent for Euro 2024, with Casteels not missing a minute at the tournament.
Courtois, who has 102 Belgium caps, rowed with Tedesco over the captaincy.
The Real Madrid keeper explained his decision to step away, saying: “Look, if my departure was purely about the captaincy, I would have already resigned in March [when Tedesco chose De Bruyne as captain].
“Kevin as captain? No problem. But then you had Romelu [Lukaku] and I as vice-captains without hierarchy.
“When he said that Romelu was captain against Austria and I was captain against Estonia on Tuesday, something snapped inside me. I couldn’t handle it anymore.
“The fact that I no longer felt appreciation from the federation and trainer made something explode within me.
“The coach made no effort to find a solution but simply said he would tell the press everything. He wanted to pressure me not to leave and threaten me.”