REAL MADRID CF) 2018

Posted on Mar 17, 2020 | IFFHS News Category

IFFHS AWARDS – THE WORLD’S BEST GOALKEEPER 2018 : THIBAUT COURTOIS (BELGIUM/FC CHELSEA/ REAL MADRID CF)

PRESENTATION

Thibaut Nicolas Marc Courtois, born 11 May 1992 in Bree, is the current Goalkeeper of Belgium’s National team and of Real Madrid CF, winning his greatest individual Award in 2018 when IFFHS crowned him to THE WORLD’S BEST GOALKEEPER of the year !

Courtois began his youth career in Genk at 7, graduating quickly to the senior team in 2009, 17 years old ! He was crowned with Genk in 2010/11, aged 18, with the Belgian Pro League title ! In July 2011, he signed in Chelsea where Petr Cech was the number 1. So he was immediately loaned to Atlético de Madrid in 2011 until 2014. In these three seasons, he won the Liga (2013/14), the Copa del Rey (2012/13), the UEFA Europa League (2011/12) and the UEFA Super Cup (2012), being runner-up in the UEFA Champions League 2013/14. He was nominated as LA LIGA Goalkeeper of the season 2012/13 and won the La Liga Zamora Trophy two seasons (2012/13 and 2013/14) for his performances in Madrid.

Courtois returned to Chelsea in July 2014 and became number 1, winning the Premier League titles twice (2014/15 and 2016/17), the FA Cup (2017/18) and the Football League Cup (2014/15). He won also the Premier League Golden Glove (2016/17) before signing one year later with Real Madrid CF. In Spain, he won the Supercopa de Espana 2019/20 and the FIFA Club World Cup 2018.

2018 was the greatest year in his career. He finished at the third place with Belgium’s National Team at the FIFA World Cup in Russia and won all individual Awards , The Best FIFA Goalkeeper, THE WORLD’S BEST GOALKEEPER by IFFHS, The FIFA World Cup Golden Glove and was nominated in The FIFA World Cup Dream Team and the IFFHS Men’s World team ! He made his debut with Belgium in october 2011, becoming the youngest goalkeeper to represent the country. He earned since this date 79 international caps with two FIFA World Cups (2014, 2018) and one UEFA Euro (2016).

At 28, Courtois has already played 415 matches (154 with Chelsea and 154 for Atlético de Madrid, 62 for Real Madrid, 45 for Genk) and is only at the middle of his career.