Rudi Garcia faced significant backlash after substituting his first-choice goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois, during Belgium’s World Cup quarter-final loss to Spain on Friday. This decision has raised further concerns regarding the coach’s future with the national team.
Despite Courtois expressing confidence in his ability to continue playing through a minor leg injury, Garcia maintained that he had to take him off because he was not at full fitness. Senne Lammens replaced him in the 71st minute, but he mishandled a low shot from Pau Cubarsí, which allowed Spain’s Mikel Merino to score the winning goal in the 86th minute, sealing a 2-1 victory for Spain.
Garcia’s choice to remove Courtois drew sharp criticism from Belgian analysts, including commentator Peter Vandenbempt, who remarked, “You substitute the best goalkeeper in the world during a World Cup quarter-final because he can no longer kick long balls… astonishing! I simply cannot fathom it,”
The Belgian head coach clarified his stance, stating, “The only explanation is that Garcia clings to rigid principles. Not 100% fit? Then you’re out. But surely someone like Courtois knows what he is and isn’t capable of?“ The Belgian head coach explained his philosophy clearly, however. “Since the start of the World Cup, I’ve said only players who are 100% physically fit are allowed to play. That applies to Thibaut as well. We needed his long balls — first to Charles [De Ketelaere], then to Romelu [Lukaku]. We didn’t want Thibaut’s injury to get worse. So, I have no regrets about the decision to substitute him.”
Garcia’s decision to substitute Courtois is likely to be a focal point during discussions about his future as his contract is set to expire at the end of the month. The 62-year-old Frenchman, who led Lille to the Ligue 1 title in 2011, was appointed at the beginning of 2025 with the aim of revitalizing the team following Domenico Tedesco’s troubled tenure.
His initial task was to maintain Belgium’s position in the top tier of the Nations League, which he accomplished, alongside securing World Cup qualification. Meeting the goal of reaching the quarter-finals further bolstered his credentials, as he boasts a record of 12 wins, six draws, and two losses across 20 international matches.
Officials from the Belgian federation will need to determine if Garcia is the right leader as they aim to build a competitive squad for the 2028 Euros. There have been numerous concerns regarding his strategies, substitutions, and overall management style, and the disappointment from the narrow loss to Spain has not helped his case.
Belgium’s World Cup journey was marked by inconsistency, with the team barely managing to advance to the knockout stage after drawing with Egypt and Iran, before defeating New Zealand to top their group. They narrowly escaped elimination against Senegal in the Round of 32, where Garcia replaced key players while the team was down 2-0, leaving the effectiveness of his substitutions open to debate.
Despite these challenges, Garcia can highlight notable achievements, including a commanding 4-1 victory against co-hosts the USA and the introduction of promising talents like Nathan Ngoy and Nicolas Raskin, who had standout performances during the tournament. Furthermore, his substitutes made a significant impact, contributing nine goals throughout the summer’s competition, a record for any team at a men’s finals.
After the match, Courtois hinted at a potential hiatus from international duty, expressing a desire to step back and return for Euro 2028. “It would be good to take a year-long break from the Nations League so I can find some rest,” said the Real Madrid goalkeeper.
“Then I can keep goal for the Euro qualifiers and the European Championships again,” Courtois added, reflecting on his previous withdrawal from the Belgium squad in 2024 following a dispute with Tedesco. “It’s up to the national coach and the federation to make a choice. If they see it differently than I do … perhaps this was my last match.”
