Thibaut Courtois forced off injured in World Cup quarterfinal against Spain

Belgium suffered a major blow in their 2026 World Cup quarterfinal clash with Spain as star goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was unable to finish the match due to injury. The 34-year-old Real Madrid shot-stopper felt discomfort before the second-half water break. He tried to play through it but eventually signaled to the bench for a substitution. Senne Lammens, the Manchester United goalkeeper, replaced Courtois in the 71st minute with the score tied 1-1. The severity of Courtois’ injury and his recovery timeline remain unclear. Prior to this game, he had started every match for Belgium in the tournament, conceding six goals in six appearances without being substituted.