Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois faces a special match as he leads his national team against Spain on Friday in the 2026 World Cup quarter-finals, facing the country where he spent most of his professional career, stressing that emotion will not stand in the way of his ambition to lead the 'Red Devils' to the semi-finals.

Courtois has a strong connection to Spain after many years in La Liga with Atlético Madrid and Real Madrid, but he stressed that his focus is entirely on achieving victory, joking that his son, who holds both Belgian and Spanish nationalities, will support Belgium 'or else he won't come home.'

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The 34-year-old goalkeeper is enjoying a stable tournament, having played a prominent role in Belgium reaching the quarter-finals, thanks to a series of crucial saves that kept his country's chances alive in the competition.

Courtois faces a more difficult task against Spain's attack, which includes names he knows well from La Liga competitions, such as Lamine Yamal, Ferran Torres, and Dani Olmo, in a match where he aims to continue Belgium's journey towards the final four.

The match holds special significance for the Belgian goalkeeper, who hinted before the tournament that the 2026 World Cup might be his last with the national team, preferring thereafter to focus on his career with Real Madrid, while expressing confidence in the new Belgian generation's ability to continue the journey.