Belgium star speaks out on ‘Golden Generation’ after World Cup defeat
Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois reflected on Belgium’s ‘Golden Generation’ following the team’s brutal 2-1 quarterfinal defeat to Spain at the World Cup
Thibaut Courtois reflected on playing for the Belgium squad during the World Cup(Image: Luke Hales, Getty Images)
Thibaut Courtois reflected warmly on Belgium’s so-called “Golden Generation,” in what appears almost certain to be the final chapter for this group of elite players.
On Friday, the Belgians faced Spain in the quarterfinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and despite a solid performance, they lost 2-1 in the dying moments. Courtois himself couldn’t complete the match, suffering an injury that sidelined him for the final 19-plus minutes at Los Angeles Stadium.
Belgium’s World Cup campaign came to an end, signaling the conclusion of the nation’s “Golden Generation” of soccer stars, a roster of globally acclaimed talent featuring Courtois, Kevin De Bruyne, Axel Witsel, and Romelu Lukaku.
Speaking to the media in English, Courtois expressed his honor at competing alongside that squad of players, just after revealing the undisclosed injury he had suffered.
Significantly, while the “Golden Generation” never captured a major international championship, the team secured third place in the 2018 World Cup and maintained the No. 1 position in the FIFA World Rankings for more than three years.
And though some assumed the team’s final opportunity was the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, its quarterfinal appearance this year caught many off guard, prompting Courtois to emphasize how impressively the squad has performed throughout the years despite the absence of international silverware.
“We are very proud of everything we did, until now,” the 34-year-old stated. “I know a lot of people, a lot of times you get criticism like ‘The Golden Generation never won anything.’
Romelu Lukaku is a main figure of the Belgian squad(Image: Jamie Squire, Getty Images)
“But we are Belgium; We are not England, we are not Spain, we are not France. We are a small country of not even 12 million people that in big tournaments is showing amazing things. And in 2018, you lose against France with a corner. And I think we were playing the best football in that tournament.
“So there are things to be proud of. And it’s really easy to give criticism and say you didn’t win anything. But look at all big names in football, not everyone has won a big tournament and we always tried it.”
Following the fixture, Belgium manager Rudi Garcia admitted that he was “disappointed” the match concluded the way it did, as it represented the final opportunity for the “Golden Generation” to secure glory. “For them, it was the last big competition,” he told reporters in French. “Eighteen months ago, I took this team to take my experienced players as far as possible.
“They are closer to the finish line. For them, it was the last game. It’s a shame. I think everyone deserved to go further in this World Cup.”
The Real Madrid star also accepted that his generation’s era had essentially come to an end. With that acceptance came recognition that a fresh wave of Belgian talent would be ready to step forward and that this emerging generation could claim World Cup success.
“I believe that we have great youth academies that are working well,” he continued. “Teams that are being happy with their talent on the field, being champions. And I believe that with Belgium in the future, I hope that we can go till the next step, till the final.
“And I think there’s young talent coming up and the guys that are younger now, they will get stronger in the next years. And I’m hoping that for the Euros or the next World Cup, we’ll get stronger. I think we have the spirit and I’m sure that nice things can come eventually. We had a difficult run now and I think we can be proud of our World Cup.”
