Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois questions head coach's 'reality' after accusations of abandoning team

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Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois questioned Domenico Tedesco's "reality" after the Belgium coach accused him of abandoning his teammates and faking an injury before a European Championship qualifier.

Tedesco claimed Courtois didn't turn up for Belgium's training camp on Monday because the goalie was "offended" by his handling of the captaincy. After Courtois’ father denied there was a dispute within the squad and said his son was allowed to leave because of a knee inflammation, Tedesco told the media that Courtois was not injured.

Courtois responded in a statement late Monday accompanied with a picture of him in a Belgium outfit and one hand on his heart, standing next to interim captain Romelu Lukaku, that he was "deeply disappointed" that Tedesco spoke publicly about their locker room conversation.

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Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois during the UEFA EURO 2024 qualifying match between Belgium and Austria at King Baudouin Stadium on June 17, 2023 in Brussels, Belgium. AP | Dutch Height | GERRIT OF COLOGNE  (AP | Dutch Height | GERRIT OF COLOGNE ANP via Getty Images)

He added that "the coach’s assessments do not fit with reality."

Courtois insisted he has a problem in his right knee and his decision to leave was taken after consultations between the medical teams of his Real Madrid club and the national squad.

The goalkeeper also gave his version of the conversation he had with Tedesco about the team captaincy.

"I asked him, not for direct benefit, to explain and make decisions to avoid situations that in the past have harmed us while always looking for the general benefit," he said.