This Tuesday, Belgium announced the 25 athletes called up for the European Championship by coach Domenico Tedesco. The main absence was that of Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who recovered from a knee injury for much of the season.
The 32-year-old player is now available to be used by the Merengue club’s coach, Carlo Ancelotti, and could start in the Champions League final, against Borussia Dortmund. The decision will be made next Saturday, at 4pm (Brasília time), in Wembley, England.
𝘿(evils)-𝘿𝙖𝙮. 🇧🇪
— Belgian Red Devils (@BelRedDevils) May 28, 2024
However, the Belgian national team commander understands that he is not yet ready for a high-intensity competition with several consecutive games.
“Thibaut (Courtois) was very clear in his communication a few months ago. He knows his body, he doesn’t feel prepared to compete in a competition of this intensity with matches every three or four days. This is the last information we considered,” he said Domenico Tedesco at a press conference.
Before the first game of the 2023/24 season, Courtois tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and had to undergo surgery. The goalkeeper only returned to the pitch in May of this year.
Despite the absence of the goalkeeper, Belgium has good names in this squad, for example: Kevin De Bruyne and Jérémy Doku (Manchester City), Romelu Lukaku (Roma), Axel Witsel (Atlético de Madrid), Leandro Trossard (Arsenal), Yannick Carrasco (Al Shabab) and Youri Tielemans (Aston Villa).
The Eurocup will be played between June 14th and July 14th, in Germany. Before that, the Belgian team will play two friendlies in their country, against Montenegro and Luxembourg, on June 5th and 8th, respectively.
Check out the complete list of selected candidates:
Goalkeepers
- Thomas Kaminski (Luton Town)
- Matz Sels (Nottingham Forest)
- Koen Casteels (Wolfsburg)
Defenders
- Maxim De Cuyper (Club Brugge)
- Thomas Meunier (Trabzonspor)
- Jan Vertonghen (Anderlecht)
- Arthur Theate (Rennes)
- Zeno Debast (Anderlecht)
- Timothy Castagne (Fulham)
- Wout Faes (Leicester City)
Midfielders
- Aster Vranckx (Wolfsburg)
- Axel Witsel (Atlético de Madrid)
- Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)
- Orel Mangala (Lyon)
- Youri Tielemans (Aston Villa)
- Arthur Vermeeren (Atlético de Madrid)
- Amadou Onana (Everton)
Attackers
- Jérémy Doku (Manchester City)
- Johan Bakayoko (PSV)
- Yannick Carrasco (Al-Shabab)
- Leandro Trossard (Arsenal)
- Lois Openda RB (Leipzig)
- Dodi Lukebakio (Sevilla)
- Romelu Lukaku (Roma)
- De Ketelaere (Atalanta)
Source: Gazetaesportiva
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