Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois dey face Spain for first time for im international career on Friday, entering di World Cup quarterfinals as a self-proclaimed underdog wey fit cause upset.
Di Real Madrid keeper, wey don spend 11 years playing for Spain, train with Belgium at di LA Galaxy facilities on Wednesday. While di memory of im team 4-1 thrashing of di United States for Seattle on Monday still fresh, Courtois acknowledge say ‘La Roja’ go pose dia toughest challenge of di tournament so far.
“Spain na great team. I think dem be one of di favorites to win am,” Courtois yarn afta di Red Devils training session. “So obviously we start as underdogs against dem. But for football, everything dey possible. I believe say we fit win, with all respect. But obviously, dem be di favorite.”
Spain enter di quarterfinals for formidable form, wey dem no don concede any single goal so far for di tournament. However, Courtois hope say im deep, firsthand knowledge of di Spanish squad go provide Belgium with tactical edge.
“For me, e help say I know dem, most from Spanish football, and some from di Champions League as well,” Courtois add. “But at di end of di day, we dey play against Spain, not against Barça, City, or Arsenal. Everybody know dose players.”
When dem ask am about facing powerhouse Spain, Courtois mind go straight to Belgium 2-1 victory over Brazil for di World Cup eight years ago for Russia. Dat upset send di Red Devils to di semifinals for di first time for 32 years.
“Dem favor against us, and maybe dem be more individually with more quality for di team,” Courtois tok. “But I feel say we be great team all together now, and we dey fight.”
Dat collective resilience don dey on display throughout Belgium knockout run. Di Red Devils overcome late 2-0 deficit to beat Senegal 3-2 for normal time before securing dia dominant victory over di United States, a match preceded by controversy when FIFA clear American forward Folarin Balogun to play despite automatic red-card suspension.
“Especially di match against Senegal show our ability to keep believing until di end. Di important thing na to win games. E be nice thing to also play well, but di most important thing na to win and to compete, and dat na wetin we do,” Courtois add.
Di winner of Friday match go advance to di semifinals to face either France or Morocco.
Belgium meet Spain for di World Cup quarter-finals on Friday with di daunting task of breaching di European champions watertight defence for di first time at di 2026 tournament. For beating Cristiano Ronaldo Portugal 1-0 on Monday, Luis de la Fuente men become di first team for history to record six consecutive World Cup clean sheets.
Spain no don show di attacking flair of France, but dem dey play di careful, possession-based football wey take dem to glory for South Africa for 2010. Di prodigiously gifted Lamine Yamal be di team most potent attacker on paper but di teenager arrive for di United States still recovering from late-season injury and don net just once for five games.
Mikel Oyarzabal don make up for dat, scoring four times, including twice for a 3-0 romp against Austria for di last 32. Barcelona midfielder Dani Olmo yarn say club teammate Yamal dey grow into di tournament.
“He bring so much to di team with im dribbling and presence. When he receive di ball, two or three opposing players close in on am, wey open up space,” he tok. “Lamine score and assist — he always do dat for im short career — and even when he no do am, he go keep helping us with di work he dey do.”
But di brutal truth be say Spain no need to score many goals to win — dem don concede just six shots on target for dia five matches so far.
“We be team where everybody attack and everybody defend,” Olmo yarn. “Di coach say di number nine be di first to defend and di others follow suit. Di defensive line don dey spectacular, e be historic milestone. We happy for (goalkeeper) Unai (Simon). If we keep clean sheet, we dey closer to winning.”
Belgium, captained by di impressive Youri Tielemans, don get rollercoaster ride for di knockout phase so far. First, dem come back from di dead to beat Senegal 3-2 before sweeping aside co-hosts di United States for di last 16, thanks to Charles De Ketelaere first-half double.
Di World Cup likely be di last hurrah for di remainder of di nation so-called Golden Generation, including creative midfielder Kevin De Bruyne and striker Romelu Lukaku, both of whom now dey play for Napoli. Neither player start di 4-1 win against di United States, though Lukaku come on and score, but dem remain potent threats and Real Madrid Thibaut Courtois be one of di finest goalkeepers of im generation.
Lukaku three strikes at di tournament so far mean say he dey with Diego Maradona, Rudi Voller and Rivaldo on eight World Cup goals. Head coach Rudi Garcia no get shortage of quality for im disposal elsewhere, with Manchester City winger Jeremy Doku and Arsenal Leandro Trossard giving am goal threat.
Friday clash with Spain for Los Angeles be Belgium third quarter-final for four World Cups but dem never reach final. Spain, despite dia status for di game, don only progress past di last eight twice, making am to di final group stage for 1950 and going all di way for South Africa 60 years later.
