​Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has offered his candid assessment of Senne Lammens’s error in Belgium’s World Cup exit at the hands of Spain. Lammens had largely impressed since his switch from Royal Antwerp to Manchester United last summer, delivering a string of steady performances that supported his club in a successful season.
Lammens made his United debut in October, keeping a clean sheet in the 2-0 victory over Sunderland. He then started every match through the remainder of the campaign, producing crucial saves as the team sealed third place and secured Champions League football after a two-year absence. His performances earned him the Premier League Transfer of the Season award, recognizing the impact he had in his first season in England.
During the World Cup quarter-final against Spain, Lammens came on for Courtois in the 71st minute after the latter picked up a muscular issue. The switch was initially a moment of opportunity for Lammens, but it quickly became a moment of misfortune. He failed to clamp onto a long-range strike from Pau Cubarsi, allowing the ball to spill to Mikel Merino, who converted from close range to hand Spain a late lead.
The sight of Lammens after the concession reflected the weight of the moment, yet his teammates responded with collective support and encouragement. Courtois spoke to reporters to defend Lammens and to emphasize that the young keeper could learn from the disappointment. He said, “You only get stronger from this. Eventually you cannot say much more to him or give him much more advice.” He added that Lammens is a strong character and that he was confident his teammate would recover. “He will have some holidays and then regroup in Manchester and have a great season.”
Courtois also explained that he would have preferred to stay on the pitch, but the coach made the call to bring on a 100% ready substitute. “Obviously, I wanted to continue, but the coach wanted someone 100%. I wanted to try to play maybe five or 10 minutes because I was feeling good. I was making saves, and I was not disturbed to make those saves.” He accepted that the decision rested with the manager and conceded that leaving a World Cup quarter-final is never easy, but acknowledged that sometimes circumstances dictate course of action.
With a brief spell of downtime ahead, Lammens will take a few weeks to recharge before returning to Manchester for pre-season preparations. The story continues as he looks to build on a promising introduction to English football, while Courtois focuses on recovery and the optimism of the season to come.