Thibaut Courtois will skip the Nations League after an agreement with Mark van Bommel but plans to return for Belgium in March for the Euro 2028 qualifiers.
Courtois to skip Nations League before Belgium return for Euro 2028 qualifiers
Thibaut Courtois has confirmed that he will not take part in Belgium Nations League campaign after reaching an agreement with national team head coach Mark van Bommel, but the Real Madrid goalkeeper intends to return to international duty in March for the beginning of the Euro 2028 qualifying campaign. The 34-year-old explained that the decision was made after discussions with Van Bommel and stressed that his absence is intended as a temporary break rather than an end to his international career.
Courtois had already indicated after the 2026 World Cup that he wanted to step away from the national team for a period, and the latest agreement provides greater clarity over how long that pause is expected to last. Rather than taking part in the Nations League, the experienced goalkeeper will remain focused on his club commitments with Real Madrid before making himself available again when Belgium begin their attempt to qualify for the next European Championship.
The goalkeeper outlined the decision after Real Madrid 2-1 victory over Inter Milan on Tuesday, with his comments subsequently reported in the Belgian media. Courtois made it clear that the arrangement was reached directly with Van Bommel and that both sides understand the plan for the coming months.
“After speaking with Van Bommel, I decided not to play in the Nations League unless the head coach has injury problems,” Courtois said. “That means I will not play in a possible final four.”
The exception regarding injuries leaves open the possibility of an emergency return if Belgium suddenly find themselves short of goalkeeping options, but under normal circumstances Courtois does not expect to feature during the Nations League campaign. Even if Belgium progress far enough to reach the final four, he has indicated that he would remain unavailable.
Courtois plans March return
The more important part of the announcement concerns what happens after the Nations League. Courtois intends to return to the Belgium squad in March, when qualification for Euro 2028 begins, and has already communicated that intention to Van Bommel.
“I will be available for the Euro 2028 qualifiers,” he confirmed.
That statement removes any suggestion that Courtois is considering a permanent retirement from international football. Instead, the goalkeeper appears to be managing his availability after a demanding period at both club and national-team level, giving himself several months away from Belgium before returning for another major qualifying campaign.
The decision is particularly significant because Courtois remains one of the most experienced and established members of the Belgium squad. His career at the highest level has made him one of the most recognisable goalkeepers in European football, and his eventual return will naturally create competition for the number one position.
That competition, however, will not automatically end in Courtois favour. Van Bommel has already warned him that returning in March does not guarantee an immediate place in the starting line-up.
No guarantee of starting place
Courtois revealed that Van Bommel had been very clear during their conversation about the consequences of missing the Nations League. If another goalkeeper performs well during his absence, the Belgium coach will not simply remove that player when Courtois becomes available again.
“Van Bommel told me that he cannot guarantee me a place in the starting line-up at that point if the goalkeeper who plays in the Nations League performs well,” Courtois explained. “But I want to fight for my place.”
The response suggests that Courtois accepts the competitive situation created by his decision. While he has chosen to step away temporarily, he does not expect the national team to reserve the position for him. Instead, he is prepared to return and compete on sporting merit.
That understanding gives Van Bommel freedom to develop other goalkeeping options during the Nations League without having to treat them simply as temporary replacements. Whoever is selected during Courtois absence will have the opportunity to establish himself and potentially create a genuine selection dilemma before the Euro 2028 qualifiers.
For Courtois, that represents a risk, but one he appears willing to accept. His decision indicates that the break itself is important enough for him to step away even knowing that his status as automatic first choice could be affected.
Temporary break after World Cup
The latest development follows the announcement Courtois made after the 2026 World Cup, when he said he intended to take a break from the Belgium national team. At that stage, the duration of the pause was not completely defined, but the discussions with Van Bommel have now produced a clearer timetable.
The goalkeeper will remain away for the Nations League before targeting a return in March. That gives him a period focused exclusively on Real Madrid and allows Belgium to proceed through the next international window with a different goalkeeper.
From the national team perspective, the arrangement also removes uncertainty. Rather than having Courtois availability discussed before every international break, Van Bommel now knows that he should plan without him throughout the Nations League campaign unless an injury emergency changes the situation.
The same clarity applies to the other goalkeepers in contention. They will know that the position is genuinely available during the Nations League and that strong performances could have consequences beyond those fixtures.
Van Bommel sets clear conditions
The conversation between Courtois and Van Bommel appears to have been particularly direct. The goalkeeper was allowed to take the break he wanted, but the coach also made clear that international places cannot simply be held open indefinitely.
That approach creates a balance between respecting the wishes of one of Belgium most experienced players and protecting competition within the squad. Courtois status and achievements do not mean he will automatically return to the starting line-up several months later.
For Van Bommel, the Nations League now becomes an opportunity to assess alternatives in competitive matches. If another goalkeeper performs consistently and helps Belgium achieve strong results, changing the hierarchy in March could become more complicated.
Courtois comments suggest he understands that possibility and welcomes the challenge. Rather than asking for guarantees, he has accepted that he may have to prove himself again when he returns.
Real Madrid remains immediate priority
In the short term, Courtois attention will remain firmly on Real Madrid. His comments came immediately after the Spanish side defeated Inter Milan 2-1, and his absence from the Nations League will reduce the number of international commitments he faces during the first part of the season.
For a goalkeeper competing at the highest level domestically and in the Champions League, that reduced schedule could be valuable. Courtois will be able to remain with his club during the relevant international periods and concentrate on maintaining his condition for Real Madrid.
The arrangement may also give him greater control over his workload after the 2026 World Cup. International tournaments place significant physical and mental demands on players, and Courtois had already made clear that he wanted some distance from the national team following the competition.
There is no indication, however, that the goalkeeper wants that distance to become permanent. His repeated reference to March and the Euro 2028 qualifiers suggests he already has a specific point in mind for his comeback.
Belgium prepare for new goalkeeping hierarchy
Belgium will now have to begin the Nations League without the goalkeeper who has occupied such an important position for the national team. That creates one of the first major selection decisions of Van Bommel tenure.
The coach will need to identify the goalkeeper he believes is best equipped to take responsibility during Courtois absence, and those matches could ultimately influence the hierarchy for the Euro 2028 qualifying campaign as well.
The situation creates a rare opportunity for Belgium other goalkeepers. Instead of simply filling in for one or two friendlies, they will have the chance to play a sequence of competitive international fixtures and potentially the final stages of the Nations League.
If one of them performs particularly well, Van Bommel has already made clear that Courtois return will not automatically reverse the decision. That could create a genuine competition for the number one shirt by the time Belgium gather again in March.
Courtois prepared to fight for position
Courtois attitude towards that possibility is one of the most important elements of his comments. At 34 and with extensive experience behind him, he could have expected his status to provide a guarantee, but instead he openly acknowledged that he may have to compete.
His statement that he wants to “fight for my place” indicates that the goalkeeper still has significant motivation to represent Belgium. The break therefore appears to be about timing and workload rather than a loss of interest in international football.
That distinction will be reassuring for Belgium supporters who may have wondered whether the post-World Cup pause could eventually lead to retirement. Courtois has now made his intentions clear: he wants to return, but only after sitting out the Nations League.
The Euro 2028 qualifying campaign also provides an obvious objective. At 34, Courtois remains in a position where another major international tournament is realistic, and his planned return in March would give him the opportunity to compete for involvement throughout that cycle.
A carefully managed international return
The agreement between Courtois and Van Bommel therefore gives both sides a clear framework. Belgium will move forward without the Real Madrid goalkeeper during the Nations League, while Courtois will use that period to focus on club football and recover from the demands of the previous international cycle.
In March, the situation will be reassessed. Courtois will make himself available, but Van Bommel will make the selection decision based on form rather than reputation alone.
That approach avoids unnecessary uncertainty and allows Belgium to plan ahead while keeping the door open for one of their most experienced players. It also creates healthy competition at a position that has been associated with Courtois for so long.
Much will depend on what happens during his absence. If Belgium new goalkeeper performs exceptionally well, Courtois may return to a genuine battle for the starting position. If the team struggles in that area, his comeback could become more straightforward.
Either way, Courtois has accepted the terms. He will not feature in the Nations League under normal circumstances, even if Belgium reach the final four, but intends to return for the Euro 2028 qualifiers and compete for his place once again.
For now, his international career is on pause rather than over. The next few months will belong to Real Madrid, while Belgium begin the Nations League under Van Bommel with a different goalkeeper. Come March, Courtois expects to be back, although this time without any guarantee that the number one shirt will immediately be his again.
