| FULL NAME | Thibaut Nicolas Marc Courtois |
| BORN | May 11, 1992 |
| HEIGHT | 1.99 m (6 ft 6 in) |
| NATIONALITY | Belgian |
| ROLE | Goalkeeper |
Thibaut Nicolas Marc Courtois is a Belgian professional footballer who represents the Belgian national team and the Spanish club Real Madrid. He was born in the Belgian city of Bree on the 11th of May 1992. He is a goalie for the team.
He’s been hailed as a brilliant shot-stopper with tremendous positioning, calm, command of his territory, and a long reach. He is confident when dealing with crosses and thrives in the air, but his towering body may occasionally lead him down because it is tough for him to get down on the ground fast. Courtois is average with his feet and doesn’t have the finest passing range.
Background
He started playing football for his hometown team Blitzen V.V. when he was five years old. In the early days, he didn’t have a definite playing position, which was typical for a young player. He was, however, mostly employed in the left-back position.
After impressing the scouts at Racing Genk, he was offered a trial and joined their young squad. He discovered his real calling as a goalie when he was put in goal for an under-9 competition, where he was named the best goalie.
He had a fierce competition with Koen Casteels, who was the same age as him but was regarded a stronger talent and had been picked up for the young national team.
Debut
In October 2011, he was called up for the first time for a friendly match against Slovenia for the senior Belgian team. A month later, on November 15, 2011, he made his debut in a friendly match against France. He made a fantastic debut, keeping a clean sheet, but Belgium were held to a 0-0 draw.
Since then, he has cemented his position as Belgium’s first-choice goalkeeper and has never looked back.
Rise to Glory
From an early age, he was seen as a promising talent, and since his breakout season with Genk, he has been constantly in the limelight. He won the league’s Finest Goalkeeper of the Year award and was chosen Genk’s best player in the 2010-11 season, conceding only 32 goals in 40 games.
Club Career
Courtois has represented Racing Genk, Atletico Madrid, and Chelsea in professional club football.
During his tenure at Atletico Madrid, he became a world-class goalkeeper, winning major trophies and receiving great praise.
He has maintained his level of performance at Chelsea, but in the Premier League, every error is scrutinised with a magnifying glass, and he has received mixed reviews from fans and commentators alike.
Achievements
With Genk, Courtois won the Belgian Pro League. With Atletico Madrid, he won the UEFA Europa League and the La Liga. He has won the English Premier League twice, the FA Cup once, and the English League Cup once with Chelsea.