Courtois set for Belgium return after Tedesco's departure

Thibaut Courtois has expressed his readiness to return to the Belgian national team following the departure of coach Domenico Tedesco. The Real Madrid goalkeeper had previously refused to play under Tedesco, who overlooked him for the captaincy and ended his tenure without a win in five matches. With Rudi Garcia now appointed as the new coach, Courtois has stated, 'I missed the national team, but now I am ready [to return].' Discussions between Courtois and the Belgian Football Federation are reportedly progressing well, with a potential return expected in the upcoming Nations League match against Ukraine next month. This would mark Courtois' first appearance for Belgium since June 2023, after a self-imposed exile from international duty. His father has confirmed that talks about his return are moving in the right direction.