​INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Belgium’s veteran goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois exited the World Cup quarterfinal against Spain in the second half due to an apparent injury, his departure prompting tears from the Real Madrid stalwart on the Belgium sideline. Replaced by Senne Lammens in the 71st minute of a 1-1 showdown, Courtois had made four saves before leaving the pitch.
The 31-year-old keeper had gone down with what appeared to be a thigh issue four minutes before his substitution and received treatment during a hydration break. Despite the attention and attempts to shake off the problem, the injury did not improve enough for Courtois to continue, leading Belgium to call on Manchester United’s Lammens, who had not yet appeared at the tournament.
Courtois extended his World Cup presence to 21 appearances, the second-most in tournament history for a goalkeeper, trailing only Germany’s Manuel Neuer. Across Belgium’s first five matches at this year’s World Cup, Courtois had totaled 10 saves while conceding five goals.
Spain took the lead in the 30th minute when Fabián Ruiz found the net, but Belgium answered through Charles De Ketelaere in the 41st minute, delivering the first goal Spain had allowed in the entire World Cup competition up to that point.
The match proceeded with tensions mounting as Belgium sought to shield the later stages without their prolific shot-stopper, while Spain pressed to reclaim momentum after the equalizer. The exit of Courtois marked a notable turning point as Belgium adjusted to continue without their captain in a pivotal knockout clash.
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