Thibaut Courtois talks Mourinho, Bellingham, Xabi Alonso, Belgium: ‘I think that’s exactly what we need’

Thibaut Courtois talks Mourinho, Bellingham, Xabi Alonso, Belgium: ‘I think that’s exactly what we need’ Speaking in an interview with Sky Sports (h/t Mundo Deportivo ), Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has opened up on his relationship with manager Jose Mourinho. The pair worked together at Chelsea before and were reunited at the Santiago Bernabeu this summer, with Mourinho taking over as the head coach from Alvaro Arbeloa. Courtois very happy with Mourinho’s return And, Courtois revealed that he was very happy to work with Mourinho again, having parted ways on good terms during their stint together at Chelsea. “It’s great, really great, I’m very happy. When he left Chelsea, we parted on good terms. It’s always good to work with him again; he’s an excellent coach,” he said. The veteran goalkeeper then revealed how he accidentally ignored a message from Mourinho after his Real Madrid return for two weeks, saying: “He texted me when he arrived in Madrid, but I ignored his message for two weeks. I was on a flight and didn’t see the message. We were at the World Cup at the time, and the day he texted me, we were on a plane. “Also, the time difference and the lack of Wi-Fi on the plane meant I missed a lot of messages. Later, after a match, he texted me again, and I asked someone at Real Madrid, ‘Is this the coach’s number?’ But everything is fine now.” Shedding light on how Mourinho has changed over the years, Courtois highlighted that the Portuguese tactician was a calmer and less intense presence than he was before. “I’ll use his own words. I think he’s said himself that he could have matured a bit more. With all that experience, I think he’s also a bit calmer at times,” he said. Courtois enjoying working with Mourinho. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images) Continuing, Courtois added: “I remember at Chelsea, he was more assertive in the dressing room and conveyed a stronger sense of pressure. He’s still like that now, but compared to my recollection from 12 years ago, I think he’s slightly less intense. “His personality is still the same, and his presence is the same. He can make his presence felt throughout the room. You walk into a room, and as long as he’s there, you can feel his presence. I think that’s exactly what we need.” On Xabi Alonso’s time at Real Madrid Courtois also briefly spoke about former Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso, who replaced Carlo Ancelotti last year only to be sacked midway through the season. “I think that in the world of football, it’s always like that: when the results aren’t good, the manager is the first to pay the price,” he said. The Belgian veteran also pointed out that there were some issues between some players and Alonso, which may have contributed to the situation, as he said: “I think that, perhaps in some situations, there wasn’t a good understanding between Xabi Alonso and the players, but I think he had a good understanding with many players.” However, Courtois insisted that he liked the way Alonso worked and that he believed the Spanish tactician will bring success to Chelsea. “I really like Xabi Alonso, and I like his work ethic. I think he’s an excellent coach, and what he’s done at Bayer Leverkusen is outstanding. I think he’ll ultimately do very well at Chelsea as well.” Praise for Jude Bellingham During the chat, Courtois also had huge words of praise for his Real Madrid teammate and superstar midfielder Jude Bellingham. “I have a very high opinion of Jude. First, he’s a great guy, a good friend of mine. Second, he’s an excellent player,” said Courtois. Reflecting on Bellingham’s time at Real Madrid, he continued: “I think he’s had a fantastic first season. Last year, including myself, our whole team probably didn’t perform at the level we should have. “Jude is very important to us. Whether he’s on the ball, running, or defending, he’s excellent, and he’s still very young.” Courtois sang praises of Bellingham. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images) “I hope that when he retires, he’ll have won more titles with Real Madrid, and I also hope he can win more titles with the England national team. “Maybe not the European Championship, because I expect Belgium to win it. However, if England wins, I’d be very happy for Jude too. He’s an excellent player and a good friend of mine.” On Belgium absence Courtois also touched upon his decision to step away from the Belgium national team after the 2026 FIFA World Cup , but not go as far as announcing a full retirement from international duty. “My initial idea was to retire from the national team and end my international career after the World Cup. Since I’m 34, I thought this World Cup would be a good way to finish. But I must say that I really enjoyed this World Cup and had a lot of fun playing,” he said. “I enjoyed playing for the Belgian national team, a feeling I hadn’t had in several years. So, this experience was truly enjoyable.” Further explaining his reasoning behind stepping away from the ongoing UEFA Nations League assignments, he said: “In my opinion, there are too many matches for players these days. I needed a bit of a break to have a year where I could rest more. I had an injury in March that was a long-term problem. “Then, at the World Cup, I was substituted in the match against Spain due to another injury. So I felt I needed a short break. I also spoke to the manager about this. In addition, my father got married in September during the international break. “So, with all these things combined, we decided that I wouldn’t participate in this Nations League.” Courtois confirmed that he is willing to return to the national team for the UEFA Euro 2028 qualifiers, saying: “I will accept the call-up again for the Euro qualifiers. If he wants me back, I’ll return. Then it will be up to him to decide who the goalkeeper will be. “In Belgium, we have Senne Lammens and other goalkeepers, and I think we have very good depth at the goalkeeper position. So, ultimately, it’s about competing for your place; nothing is guaranteed. “When I return, all I need to do is prove that I’m the number one goalkeeper. If he puts me on the pitch, great; if he doesn’t, that’s fine too.”