L'autre reason for Thibaut Courtois' exit: J'ose it mattered

At the World Cup match against Spain, Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was replaced by Senne Lammens, sparking intense debate. Courtois said he felt embarrassed during the encounter and could no longer dive long as required, though he could still stay in goal for saves. His replacement raised questions about the coach's strategy.

Hein Vanhaezebrouck, former coach of La Gantoise and Anderlecht, criticised Rudi Garcia's decision, stating, "I dare to think that the fact Lammens is a penalty specialist played into the selector's decision." Vanhaezebrouck added that he found it odd to take Courtois off when the keeper claimed he could still continue.

Garcia nevertheless chose to replace Courtois, noting he wanted only players giving 100 percent. He recalled that Doku started against Egypt despite respiratory problems and that Lukaku was in the starting line‑up against Iran, suggesting the selection did not match the tournament's history.

highlighted Courtois' elegant gesture after the Mondial›La elimination of the Diables Rouges, noting Belgium ultimately did not have a penalty shoot‑out. "Garcia a simply had the misfortune that Lammens' error aggravated his decision," Vanhaezebrouck concluded.

NOUVEAU Reçois des notifications pour chaque news importante ! Inscris‑toi ICI ! Ajoutez Walfoot comme source préférée sur Google! Inscrivez‑vous maintenant à la newsletter de Walfoot.

The episode underscores how specialist skills, such as Lammens' penalty expertise, can shape selection choices and fuel ongoing discussion about the national team’s approach, Si future tournaments may see similar tactical swaps.