Belgium in turmoil amid Courtois row

Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois rejected coach Domenico Tedesco comments that he walked out on the Belgium squad after being passed over for the captaincy and said he left the team's training camp due to a knee problem.

Courtois played in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Austria in Euro 2024 qualifying but told Tedesco after the match he would not make himself available for Tuesday's game against Estonia.

Tedesco said Courtois was unhappy that striker Romelu Lukaku was given the captain's armband for the Austria game in the absence of injured regular skipper Kevin De Bruyne.

However, the 31-year-old Real Madrid keeper disputed that account and hit back at Tedesco.

"I want to make it clear that it is not the first time or the last time that I talk to a coach about issues related to a locker room, but it is the first time that someone decides to tell it publicly," he said in a statement.

"I am deeply disappointed with this, but I want to make it clear that the coach's assessments do not fit with reality."

Courtois said he had already spoken to Lukaku to clear things up.

Courtois, who has 102 Belgium caps, said he made himself unavailable after undergoing a check-up for a problem with his right knee, but Tedesco dismissed this.

"I wish I could say it's an injury but I can't lie," said Tedesco, who described Courtois as the "best goalkeeper in the world".

"I always try to protect players but that's impossible in this situation."

Reuters