[Saba Sports News] In the World Cup quarter-final, Belgium lost 1-2 to Spain. After the game, Thibaut Courtois called head coach Rudi Garcia’s call into question. The goalkeeper stated he was fit to stay on the pitch, yet the manager insisted on substituting him off. Courtois started the fixture and turned in an impressive performance. He was taken off in the 71st minute. As he walked off the pitch, he broke down in tears, clearly filled with frustration, having suffered a thigh strain. Senne Lammens, who came on as his replacement, then made a critical error that led to Spain’s late winning goal. At the post-match press conference, Garcia hit back at Courtois: “At this elite level of competition, you have to be 100% focused. I stick to my principles: I will never field a player who is not at full fitness. Only those in peak condition deserve to start. When Courtois is fully fit, he can launch accurate long balls to our forwards, allowing us to push play deep into the opposition half. Beyond that, I did not want to risk worsening his muscle injury. I have zero regrets about my decision to substitute him.”
The editor believes that had Courtois remained on the pitch, the outcome of the match might have turned out differently. Rudi Garcia’s contract with the Belgian Football Association expires after this World Cup. Having failed to reach the semi-finals, Garcia is highly likely to step down from his post.