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A number of Manchester City fans are gutted after it was reported that Phil Foden could miss the final of the European Championship through injury.

Unless you have been living under a rock for the past few days, you will be fully aware that England are playing Italy tonight in the final of Euro 2020 at Wembley. It will no doubt be the biggest occasion in the lives of everyone in the Three Lions squad, and it will be a game they will not want to miss.

Unfortunately, it seems that £72m-valued Foden (Transfermarkt) may not make the cut. He missed England’s final training session on Saturday before the final having picked up a knock (The Mirror) and, according to Charlie Whyett of The Sun, he is almost certain to sit out the match with a foot injury. Even though he is just 21 and may well have more chances to reach an international final in the future, the Manchester City star will no doubt be distraught to miss out on this historic occasion.

The news was shared on Twitter by @City_Xtra, and it attracted plenty of attention from the club’s supporters. These took to the social media platform to share their thoughts on Foden’s likely absence tonight.

Let’s see what these fans had to say about the Foden update

“World just a cruel place”

Credit: @emanbsry

“pain”

Credit: @arusio3

“Gutted for you @PhilFoden”

Credit: @Jackie39033438

“Nooooooooooo”

Credit: @ohzai17

“He’s really not had a good time at the Euros. Sad for him”

Credit: @KDBallondor

“his first injury and missing the second biggest game in England’s history, pain”

Credit: @SxrgioSZN

In other news, some Man City fans raged at this man’s comments.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is reportedly considering abandoning his bid to buy Manchester United and will instead try to purchase a minority stake in the club.

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• Ratcliffe bidding for Man Utd takeover
• Competing with Sheikh Jassim from Qatar
• Billionaire may buy minority stake instead

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Ratcliffe's company, Ineos Sports, has been one of the frontrunners to take ownership of the Red Devils since the Glazer family put it up for sale.

  However, the process has been dragging on for almost 10 months and reports the British billionaire is willing to settle for a minority stake in the club.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Ratcliffe had put in a bid that would see his group become a major stakeholder, but his switch to the pursuit of a minority share of the club would allow the Glazer family to remain in control of United.

  It is unclear how the deal would be structured and if Ratcliffe and Ineos see it as a possible path to majority control of the Old Trafford team.

  Such a deal may anger United supporters, who are eager to see the Glazer family relinquish ownership of the club completely.

• WHO ELSE COULD BUY MAN UTD?

  Ineos are one of two main candidates to purchase United from the Glazers.

  Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani of Qatar has also been vying for control of the Red Devils and his bid remains on the table.

  There have also been several bids from other sources for minority stakes in the club received by the Glazer family.

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  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  While the takeover process continues, United will return to on-field action when they meet Galatasaray in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Marcus Bent has backed Everton to cash in on James Rodriguez during the summer transfer window.

The Colombia international made the move to Goodison Park from Spanish giants Real Madrid last September, reportedly for no transfer fee, linking up with Carlo Ancelotti for the second time in his career.

Rodriguez’s arrival excited Everton’s fans, but the 2014 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot winner saw his progress on Merseyside hampered by a string of injuries.

As a result, the ex-Bayern Munich loanee was restricted to just 26 appearances in his maiden campaign with the Toffees.

Rodriguez has now seen Ancelotti, who was a key reason for him agreeing to the move, depart Goodison Park in favour of a return to Real Madrid following Zinedine Zidane’s resignation.

Rafa Benitez has been appointed as the Italian’s successor despite his Liverpool links and ex-Toffees striker Bent feels it makes sense to allow Rodriguez to move on after a frustrating campaign in the Premier League.

Speaking exclusively to The Transfer Tavern, Bent said: “He wasn’t consistent enough because of the injuries last season, but there’s going to be a price on his head now.

“Obviously, if they cash in you know they are going to make some money back on him.”

The forward was electric as Sarina Wiegman's side broke the Matildas hearts to reach the tournament's final for the first time

England crushed the hopes of a nation on Wednesday as they beat co-hosts Australia to reach their first ever Women's World Cup final. Goals from Ella Toone, Lauren Hemp and Alessia Russo saw them emerge victorious at a packed and partisan Stadium Australia, despite Sam Kerr scoring an absolute stunner. The Lionesses will now face Spain on Sunday, with both teams bidding to become world champions for the first time.

After an even and entertaining first half, it was England that went in at the break with the lead after Toone thumped an effort past Mackenzie Arnold and into the top corner. Kerr's strike just past the hour was even more impressive, as she beat Mary Earps from 25 yards out to level things up, but the Lionesses' restored their lead just eight minutes later when Hemp capitalised on some poor defending. Russo then put the game beyond doubt late on, after two huge chances went begging for Kerr.

England will now take on Spain, another first-time finalist, on Sunday at the same venue for the chance to win the World Cup. Meanwhile, Australia will have to dust themselves off as they prepare to face Sweden in the third-place play-off.

GOAL rates England's players from Stadium Australia…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Mary Earps (7/10):

  Didn't have too much to do but made a huge save to deny Vine late on.

  Jess Carter (7/10):

  Had some shaky moments when targeted by Australia's press but made an incredibly crucial intervention in the final minutes to stop Van Egmond scoring a tap in.

  Millie Bright (6/10):

  Was good on the ball and generally solid at the back, but should've pressed Kerr more for her goal.

  Alex Greenwood (7/10):

  Wonderful in possession, as always, and strong in defence.

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  Midfield

  Lucy Bronze (7/10):

  Had her work cut out for her defensively but stood firm. Put in a great block to deny Raso from a corner and linked up well going forward.

  Keira Walsh (6/10):

  Was able to have a little more influence on play in this game but not too much.

  Georgia Stanway (6/10):

  Had a huge chance early on but hit it straight at Arnold. Worked hard in midfield otherwise but wasn't as creative as usual.

  Ella Toone (7/10):

  Scored a wonderful goal to break the deadlock.

  Rachel Daly (7/10):

  Played some really nice passes in the final third and did her defensive work well, too.

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  Attack

  Alessia Russo (8/10):

  Took a wonderful touch before laying the ball off to Toone to score, and finished with confidence to kill the game off.

  Lauren Hemp (9/10):

  Was on her toes to capitalise on some hesitant Australia defending and score. Worked incredibly hard and did her best to stretch the defence on top of that, shown perfectly by her run and assist for Russo at the end.

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  Subs & Manager

  Chloe Kelly (N/A):

  Introduced for the final few minutes.

  Niamh Charles (N/A):

  Introduced for the final few minutes.

  Sarina Wiegman (8/10):

  Kept her faith in Toone in midfield despite some underwhelming performances and it paid off. Didn't have to make any substitutions to change the game, with the system and starting XI getting the job done.

It has been a slow start to the season for a number of the Pro League's foreign imports, but signs are that the biggest names are back to their best

It took three rounds of matches, but the Saudi Pro League's biggest stars finally began to make their mark on the 2023-24 season through Thursday and Friday, as Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema kickstarted their campaigns in style.

After back-to-back defeats to start the season, Ronaldo and Al-Nassr picked up their first points of the season with a dominant 5-0 win over Al-Fateh, with the five-time Ballon d'Or winner netting a hat-trick, while fellow big-name forward Sadio Mane struck twice.

Over at Al-Ittihad, meanwhile, Benzema put behind him an apparent row with manager Nuno Espirito Santo to score his first Pro League goal as the defending champions made it three wins from three with a 4-0 victory over Al-Riyadh.

Ittihad are joined at the top of the table by newly-promoted Al-Ahli, who needed a stoppage-time goal from Franck Kessie to sneak past Al-Akhdoud, while Al-Hilal got back to winning ways after a draw on matchday two as they beat Al-Raed 4-0.

With all that in mind, GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from the latest round of Saudi Pro League action…

• WINNER: Cristiano Ronaldo

  Not only was Ronaldo's hat-trick on Friday by far his best performance of the season so far following its disappointing beginning, it was arguably the best he has put in since moving to the Middle East in January.

  The Portugal superstar was back to his clinical best in front of goal, as gone was the complaining to referees of previous matches, while he also laid on the assist for Mane to open the scoring.

  That assist meant this was the first time that Ronaldo had both scored and assisted in the same game for Al-Nassr, and fans will be hopeful this is just the start of a hot streak for their leading man.

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  LOSER: Sergej Milinkovic-Savic

  Sergej Milinkovic-Savic's move to Al-Hilal was one of the most surprising arrivals into the Pro League of the summer, given the midfielder had just led Lazio back into the Champions League and has constantly been linked with top European clubs.

  Though Neymar has usurped the Serbia international as the biggest name in the squad, the Brazil forward's injury that will keep him out until mid-September means that Milinkovic-Savic is, for now, the player who many on the Al-Hilal team are looking to for a creative spark.

  That makes the red card he picked up against Al-Raed on Thursday particularly frustrating, as the 28-year-old lashed out at an opposing defender with headbutt that saw him rightfully dismissed.

  It's claimed that the referee's report described Milinkovic-Savic's actions as 'disgraceful behaviour', and he is set to be banned for two matches, meaning he will miss Monday's clash with Al-Ettifaq and, most notably, the 'Saudi Clasico' against defending champions Al-Ittihad on Friday, September 1.

  Al-Hilal have appealed their star man's suspension, but at this moment, they will go into the biggest game of the season so far without one of their key players thanks to a rush of blood to the head.

• WINNER: Karim Benzema

  Though Al-Ittihad had won their first two Pro League games of the season, that Benzema was yet to score was notable, particularly given his record against some of the best defences in Europe.

  Things started to make a bit more sense on Wednesday, however, when it was reported that manager Nuno wasn't particularly happy with having to select Benzema given his preferred system, while the striker himself was upset at not having been made captain upon his arrival from Real Madrid.

  By Thursday evening, though, everything had changed. Having been seen laughing with Nuno on the sidelines ahead of kick-off, Benzema emerged wearing the armband, while any concerns over his lack of goals was quickly allayed when he started and finished a flowing move early in the first half.

  Having got his goal, Benzema also looked to make amends with another man who has apparently taken issue with the Frenchman's arrival at the club: last season's top Pro-League scorer, Abderrazak Hamdallah.

  When Al-Ittihad were awarded a penalty midway through the first half, Benzema made sure to hand the ball to Hamdallah to take, and the Moroccan duly obliged to score the first of two goals on the night, taking his tally to four from the opening three games to again top the league's early scoring charts.

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  LOSER: Steven Gerrard

  Having won their opening two games of the season, including a surprise victory over Al-Nassr, Steven Gerrard's Al-Ettifaq were expected to make it three from three when they took on Al-Khaleej – regarded as one of the league's weakest teams – on Thursday.

  And despite their opponents only managing two shots on goal all game, Gerrard's side could only manage a 1-1 draw that ended their 100 percent start to the new season.

  Dropping points against lowly opposition never feels good, but with a game against presumed title-contenders Al-Hilal now coming up on Monday, that draw could yet be compounded if things don't go well for Gerrard and his players on matchday four.

Frank McAvennie has warned that Andriy Yarmolenko could prove to be a ‘virus’ in the West Ham dressing room if he expresses a desire to leave and isn’t granted a move.

McAvennie, who played for the Irons between 1989 and 1992, was speaking to West Ham Zone.

The lowdown

According to Roshane Thomas, West Ham correspondent for The Athletic, Yarmolenko is considering his future this summer. The Ukrainian international started only one Premier League game under David Moyes last season, making a further 14 substitute appearances.

The 31-year-old, listed by Spotrac as the club’s highest earner, is about to enter the final year of his contract.

The latest

McAvennie says that Yarmolenko’s work ethic has cost him a more regular starting place and he urged West Ham to comply with any transfer request, expressing a fear that the ‘good atmosphere’ in the camp may be affected by a player ‘moping about’.

The 61-year-old told West Ham Zone: “I think he’s Moyes’ kind of player, he obviously just isn’t working hard enough for him.

“I think if Yarmolenko wants to move, Moyes will have to get him out because he could change the mood in the dressing room, which has a good atmosphere at the moment.

“I don’t know the boy but he could be a virus.

“It’s better to get rid of them sooner than later if they don’t want to be there, moping about, which will he be if he’s upset at not playing.”

The verdict

Yarmolenko would probably argue that his lack of minutes is mostly down to his misfortune with injuries rather than a lack of commitment to the cause.

McAvennie is right to point out that the mood at West Ham seemed immensely positive last season, and that was perhaps the foundation of their success.

You wouldn’t want to do anything to put that at risk, but they need a larger squad now with European commitments, and every high-achieving club has to face the challenge of keeping peripheral players happy.

In other news, West Ham are now willing to pay European giants for this star. 

Nuno Santo is thought to be one of the front-runners for Tottenham Hotspur’s vacant managerial role as their search rumbles on into a third month.

According to talkSPORT, the 47-year-old is now being targeted by their new director of football Fabio Paratici following collapsed moves for Paulo Fonseca and Gennaro Gattuso last week and he could be the man who Daniel Levy decides to hire.

The Portuguese left Wolves by mutual consent at the end of the 2020/21 season, having earned them promotion to the Premier League and then qualification to the Europa League in their first season back in the big time.

A three-man defence was Nuno’s go-to system at Molineux, something that Paratici is thought to also prefer and it is a formation that could quite easily be replicated in North London due to the personnel he’d inherit.

So how exactly could Spurs line up on the opening day against Manchester City under Nuno following a summer of transfer business? Football FanCast takes a look…

We’ll begin with players already at the club and there’s one the Portuguese will know more than anyone else – Matt Doherty.

The £15m signing emerged as a star under Nuno at Molineux, managing 19 goals and 20 assists under him but during his debut campaign for Spurs, he was restricted to just 13 league starts.

His future was thought to be under threat if Mourinho remained this summer but he could be one player to hugely benefit from this appointment. And in Sergio Reguilon, Nuno would be getting two solid options for the wing-back role.

One big dilemma would be in midfield, where there’s just two places up for grabs. It’s likely that Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, who started every league game last term, and Tanguy Ndombele get the nod, especially as the futures of Harry Winks, Dele Alli and Moussa Sissoko are in doubt. It would not be surprising to see one or all moved on.

It’s believed that Heung-min Son is close to signing a new long-term deal at the club in what will be a major boost for any new manager, whilst reports suggest that Harry Kane, despite his desire to leave, is going nowhere this summer.

Now onto where there could be new names. It’s been widely reported that Spurs are eyeing defensive reinforcements in this window, with ideally two new central defenders coming through the door.

And there are two candidates that could slot right in.

Fulham loan star Joachim Andersen is one that Spurs are thought to be very keen on, he’ll cost around £25m after an impressive season in the Premier League, whilst Paratici could use his Italian links to lure Nikola Milenkovic away from Fiorentina, who has also been linked to Spurs in recent months.

Described as a “beast” and likened to Nemanja Vidic, the 23-year-old Serbian international – who is valued at €30m (£27m) – may join the experienced Toby Alderweireld in the backline, with club captain Hugo Lloris remaining between the sticks.

There’s no place for either Eric Dier or Davinson Sanchez.

One final addition could be seen at right-wing.

The futures of Erik Lamela and Lucas Moura in N17 are also under threat, so there could be a spot available and after his dazzling displays at Euro 2020, Spurs would be crazy to not give Nuno another Pedro Neto-like talent in Mikkel Damsgaard, who is only expected to cost around €20m (£18m).

AND in other news, Fabrizio Romano delivers exciting claim in Spurs’ manager search, fans surely buzzing…

The French champions aren't known for their youth recruitment policy, but the arrival of the Benfica teenager could signal a change in strategy

It is set to be a summer of profound change at Paris Saint-Germain. Lionel Messi has left and he could feasibly be followed out the door by both Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, bringing the underwhelming era of the 'best front three of all time' to an end.

The potential loss of their three marquee megastars has prompted a lot of soul searching in the French capital. Despite all the money spent on tempting the Big Three to Paris, PSG have still not tasted Champions League glory.

It may be time for a new recruitment approach, and front and centre of their new policy is Cher Ndour – who is expected to sign on a free transfer from Benfica. PSG do not tend to sign players this young, but Ndour has been turning heads for some time.

Although he may not have broken through into mainstream footballing consciousness quite yet, those who have been watching him closely have been very impressed in recent years, and it's no surprise that Manchester United, Manchester City and Juventus were among the other clubs interested. Below, GOAL details why Ndour is worth getting excited about…

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  Where it all began

  Ndour was born in Brescia, 23 days after Greece had shocked Portugal in the Euro 2004 final, and his footballing education began at the youth ranks of local side ASD San Giacomo Chieri. "When I was five I played in an underage team in the San Giacomo orator," Ndour told . "Then I moved to the 2004 class. We won all the games, at home I have a slew of trophies as best player."

  Ndour wasn't there for long, though, as Brescia snapped him up when he was still a youngster. He then progressed through the age groups before being poached by Atalanta, aged 11. It proved to be an inspired move, with Ndour being afforded a front row seat to La Dea's remarkable rise under Gian Piero Gasperini.

  Despite Atalanta establishing themselves as European regulars during Ndour's time in Bergamo, the club could not successfully fend of interest from elsewhere in the continent. In 2020, Ndour was on the move again, signing for Benfica. Atalanta were extremely disappointed to have him slip through their fingers.

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  The big break

  Unsurprisingly, a 15-year-old moving from one youth academy side to another did not attract much interest at the time. However, it became a whole lot more difficult to ignore the hype around Ndour when he took a record off Joao Felix.

  On May 2, 2021, the midfielder made his Benfica B debut, coming on in the closing stages of his side's 2-0 victory over Oliveirense. The player he replaced? A forward called Goncalo Ramos, who a year-and-a-half later would net a hat-trick in the World Cup knockout stages.

  In making that one-minute cameo, Ndour became the youngest ever player to feature for Benfica's second string, beating Felix's previous record by 33 days. The following season, he earned a starting position, missing just eight games for Benfica B during the entire campaign while also helping the U19s to win the UEFA Youth League.

• How it's going

  Things have snowballed for Ndour since there. An Italy Under-20 call-up came in September 2022, in which he helped the Azzurri to a 2-1 victory over Portugal, and it's been a similar story at club level.

  In December 2022, he was named on the bench for the Eagles' senior side for the first time, and the following week he even got on the pitch. Alright, it may have been for a matter of seconds at the end of Benfica's dominant 5-1 victory over Vitoria Guimaraes, but it was still a huge moment for the player.

  Things got even better when Ndour was included in the travelling squad for several of his team's Champions League games. Although he was not called upon by Roger Schmidt during this trio of matches, it was a great learning experience for the youngster, who will likely be seen on this grandest of stages sooner rather than later.

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• Biggest strengths

  Ndour is best described as a modern, box-to-box midfielder. He likes to get after the play, both in and out of possession, with his devastating mix of physical and technical attributes making him stand out at youth level.

  He's extremely hard to dispossess too. Not only is Ndour physically imposing for his age, standing at around 6'3 (190cm) tall and possessing a well-built frame, he also makes the ball stick to him like glue in close quarters. A quick glance at his highlight reel shows a huge box of tricks, drag-backs and feints that bamboozle his opponents.

  Those same best-of clips also include a decent amount of goals. Ndour scored four times for Benfica B last season, with his ability to fire home strikes from the edge of the box catching the eye.

  Defensively, there's a lot to like too. His height means he's strong in the air – which also makes his late runs into the box dangerous – while his octopus-like legs ensure he's a pretty fearsome tackler. Combine those gifts with a tireless work rate and it's easy to see why Ndour has been tipped to develop into one of the best, shuttling No.8s in Europe over the next few years.

Everything you need to know about Germany and Dortmund superstar Marco Reus!

Marco Reus is a German professional footballer known for his versatility and technical skills. Born on May 31, 1989, in Dortmund, Germany, Reus has had an impressive career playing as an attacking midfielder or forward for both club and country.

He then joined Borussia Monchengladbach in 2009 and had the most successful season in 2012, scoring 18 goals and providing 12 assists in the Bundesliga to secure them a place in the UEFA Champions League in 2012.

Reus returned to his hometown club Borussia Dortmund at the end of the season and helped them reach the 2013 UEFA Champions League final in the first season.

Since then, he has had a remarkable stint at Signal Iduna Park, where he established himself as one of the most productive players in the Bundesliga, and a firm fan favourite of the Yellow Wall.

That Reus is an important player to Borussia Dortmund is a massive understatement. No one denies that football is a team sport, but having players like Reus in your side makes the difference when it comes to winning. He played a vital role in Dortmund's success, helping the team win two DFB-Pokal titles.

Reus' contributions on the field earned him numerous individual accolades, including being named the German Footballer of the Year in 2012 and 2019.

On the international stage, Reus has represented the German national team since 2011. However, his international career has been plagued by injuries that prevented him from participating in major tournaments, including the 2014 and 2022 FIFA World Cup, the UEFA Euro 2016 and 2020.

Nevertheless, when fit, Reus has showcased his talent, skills, and leadership qualities, becoming an integral part of the German setup. In total, he has scored 15 goals in 48 caps for his country.

Here are 15 fun facts about Reus you need to know!

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  Rejected by Dortmund at 16

  Despite his poor injury record, Reus has racked up 161 goals and 121 assists from 386 appearances for Dortmund in all competitions. That's an incredible return for a midfield player who only cost them £14.5m.

  However, they would not have had to fork out this amount if they had not released him from their academy in 2005. Reus's bond with Dortmund goes back to his days as a youth player with the club. He joined the club's youth set-up as a six-year-old and trained with them for nearly 10 years.

  However, he failed to make his mark due to his skinny build, and was deemed surplus to requirements in 2009. The attacker relaunched his career at Rot Weiss Ahlen before going on to become a star at Borussia Mochengladbach.

  Dortmund eventually realized their mistake and brought him back. Reus always wanted to play for the Yellow and Blacks. It was his boyhood dream to play for Dortmund, and when the opportunity arose, he grabbed it with both hands.

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  Named after Dutch football legend Marco van Basten

  It is interesting to note also that his parents named him after the famous Dutch football icon Marco van Basten. Actually, his parents were originally going to name him "Dennis" when his mother was pregnant, but after Van Basten's remarkable volleyed goal against the Soviet Union in the final of Euro 1988 in Munich, they decided to name him Marco instead.

• Nicknamed as 'Woody' and 'The Prince of Dortmund'🤴

  Reus earned his nickname "Woody" after the cartoon character Woody Woodpecker owing to his spiked hairstyle and the way he moves his head. His teammates poked fun as his head bobbing during runs looked like the famous bird. It's a nickname Reus likes himself and named his Twitter handle after it: @woodyinho.

  "The Prince of Dortmund" is another nickname for the German. This moniker highlights his status as one of Dortmund's most influential and beloved players. Reus' impact on the team, his performances, and his loyalty to the club have earned him this endearing nickname. His contributions and leadership have cemented his reputation as a key figure in the dressing room and amongst the fanbase.

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• Could have been a pilot? 👨‍✈️‍✈️

  Reus has had a successful football career. However, things could have gone very differently. The German midfield dynamo has admitted If he was forced into a career away from football, he would trade manning the cockpit as a pilot instead of flying across the pitch.

  "I've been fascinated by flying since my early childhood," he told Bild in 2012. "Back then I always wanted to become a pilot. I loved flying as a child and still do today."

Everything you need to know about Real Madrid's wall Thibaut Courtois!

Thibaut Courtois is a Belgian professional footballer who currently plays as a goalkeeper for the Spanish club Real Madrid and the Belgian national team. He was born on May 11, 1992, in Bree, Belgium.

Courtois began his professional career at Genk, a Belgian football club, and quickly established himself as one of the most promising young goalkeepers in Europe. His performances caught the attention of Chelsea, and he joined the London-based club in 2011.

After spending three seasons on loan at Atlético Madrid, where he won numerous individual awards and helped the club win the Liga title in the 2013-14 season, Courtois returned to Chelsea and became the club's first-choice goalkeeper. During his time at Chelsea, he won two Premier League titles, the FA Cup, and the League Cup.

In 2018, Courtois signed for Real Madrid, one of the biggest and most successful football clubs in the world. He quickly established himself as the club's first-choice goalkeeper and has won numerous individual awards and accolades, including being named the best goalkeeper in the UEFA Champions League in the 2021-22 season.

Courtois has also been a key player for the Belgian national team, helping them reach the semi-finals of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, where they finished third. He has won over 100 caps for Belgium and is widely regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the world.

But what are some of the most interesting fun facts about Real Madrid's unsung hero?

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  Started as a left-back

  Born in the city of Bree in Flanders, a northern region of Belgium, Courtois joined local side Bilzen V.V, where he played as a left-back.

  However, in 1999, he joined Racing Genk, the club where he would go on to make his professional debut, where he was converted into a goalkeeper.

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• Courtois could've been a volleyball player

  Coming from a family full of volleyball players, Courtois played volleyball until the age of 12, when he decided to focus completely on football.

  His sister, Valérie Courtois, represents the Belgium women's national volleyball team, while his parents were volleyball players too.

• Youngest goalkeeper to represent Belgium

  Courtois received his first international call-up in October 2011, making his debut for the Belgium national team the following month on November 15 against France at the Stade de France.

  Aged 19 years and 187 days, the Real Madrid custodian became the youngest goalkeeper to play for the Red Devils, a record that still stands today.

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  The only goalkeeper to earn 100 caps for Belgium

  When Belgium took the field against Croatia in their final group game at the 2022 World Cup, Courtois made his 100th appearance for the national team, becoming the first goalkeeper in Belgium history to reach the landmark.