According to a report by Football London on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, former Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has disclosed that he was removed from Belgium’s players’ WhatsApp group after asking to take a year-long break from international football.

The Real Madrid shot-stopper made the request following Belgium’s exit from the World Cup, explaining that he wanted time away from the national team before returning for the Euro 2028 qualifying campaign and the tournament itself.

Courtois, 34, featured in Belgium’s quarter-final meeting with Spain but was taken off during the 2-1 defeat. Senne Lammens replaced him after the goalkeeper appeared to experience discomfort in his left thigh. However, Courtois later played down the severity of the issue, suggesting the substitution was a decision made by manager Rudi Garcia.

Belgium ultimately suffered a painful elimination after Lammens made a late error that allowed Mikel Merino to score Spain’s decisive goal.

During the summer, Courtois had already outlined his preferred schedule for returning to international football, saying he wanted to miss Belgium’s matches for a year before rejoining the squad for the Euro 2028 qualifiers and finals.

“I want to rest for a year with no Belgium games, and then play the Euro 2028 qualifiers and the Euro 2028. I don’t know if Belgium will agree to this,” he said.

The goalkeeper has now revealed that his decision to step away was followed by his removal from the national team’s WhatsApp group, which is used by players to exchange information about training sessions and other team arrangements.

“I’ve been kicked out of the players’ WhatsApp group,” Courtois said during an interview with DAZN.

He clarified that the group was primarily intended for practical communication, with players occasionally exchanging messages. Nevertheless, his removal has not prevented him from maintaining contact with some of his international teammates.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding his future with Belgium, Courtois spoke positively about the team’s progress under new manager Mark van Bommel.

He expressed satisfaction with the atmosphere following the coach’s first training camp, indicating that he believed the national team was moving in the right direction.

“Everyone was quite satisfied after the first training camp with Van Bommel. The team is on the right track, as is the coach. This team has a great future,” Courtois stated.

The experienced goalkeeper also made it clear that he would not demand automatic selection if he returned to the squad. He insisted that he understood the importance of competition for the starting position and would respect the manager’s decisions.

“I’ve never gone to the national team assuming I was automatically going to play. I know my qualities and I know I can be important for the team,” he added.

“Nobody has to guarantee me a starting spot. If Senne Lammens, Maarten Vandevoordt, or Mike Penders have performed well and the coach prefers to play them, there’s no problem. It doesn’t bother me at all.”

Courtois has made 115 appearances for Belgium and spent seven years at Chelsea between 2011 and 2018 before moving to Real Madrid.

His next step with the national team remains unclear, with his potential return dependent on how discussions over his international break develop ahead of Belgium’s scheduled fixtures in November.