The Best Ever Belgian Goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois

Thibaut Courtois was born on 1992, at the Belgian city of Bree, in Flanders. With only 7 years old he joined Racing Genk, where he decided to become a goalkeeper.

The Belgian progressed through the Genk youth system, where Koen Casteels was the primarily goalkeeper, but after an injury, Courtois made his debut at the first team against Gent.

During his time in Genk, he helped his team winning the 2010–11 Belgian Pro League, season in which he was awarded as the best goalkeeper of the year and the best Genk’s player of the year, only conceding 32 goals in 40 matches, and keeping 14 clean sheets for Genk.

In July 2011, Courtois joined the English Premier League’s club Chelsea, but just weeks later he was sent on a season-long loan to the Spanish Club Atlético de Madrid. During his first season with the “Colchoneros”, he helped Atlético de Madrid to won the UEFA Europa League Final against Athletic Bilbao, keeping a clean sheet on the game, with a final result of 3–0.

On the season of 2012–13, he helped his club to win first the UEFA Supercup against his real club Chelsea, and second the Copa del Rey final against Real Madrid.

Then on the 2013–14 season, the Belgian helped Atlético de Madrid to won La Liga, title that the team hadn’t win it since 1996.

On the 2014–15 season, he returned to London to play for Chelsea, winning his first title with the Blues on the League Cup Final against Tottenham Hotspur.

On the season of 2016–17, the Belgian Goalkeeper helped the Blues to win the Premier League, and he was awarded with the golden glove after keeping a total of 16 clean sheets.

After being the best goalkeeper of the FIFA World Cup in 2018, and helping the Belgian Team reached the third position of the competition, Courtois signed to play for Real Madrid, making his debut on October, 2018 against Leganes winning that game 4–1.

Finally, on the last season 2019–20, he helped Real Madrid win the Supercopa de España and La Liga, maintaining 17 clean sheets in this competition, and he was awarded by the Zamora Trophy, award for the best goalkeeper of La Liga.

So, it is not an exaggeration to say that Thibaut Courtois is nowadays one of the best goalkeepers of the world, and that he has been an important help to all the clubs where he has been playing and also of the international team of Belgium.