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BRUSSELS: Thibaut Courtois is back with Belgium after a 21-month absence and the Red Devils are hoping the Real Madrid goalkeeper’s return will herald the start of a new era for the national team after a lean spell.
Courtois abruptly left the team in June 2023 ahead of a European Championship qualifier after falling out with Belgium’s then-coach, Domenico Tedesco. Their feud, which began over a captaincy dispute and was dubbed “Courtoisgate,” quickly escalated and damaged their relationship beyond repair.
The appointment of Rudi Garcia as the new coach this year paved the way for Courtois’ return. The 32-year-old goalie, who has made 102 appearances for Belgium, was picked for the Nations League playoff doubleheader against Ukraine.
After being away from the group for almost two years, Thibaut met with his Belgium teammates on Monday to settle any possible lingering misunderstanding.
“We’ve put things right, the squad has fully accepted Thibaut’s decision, and now we’ve got our sights set on moving forward, winning both playoff matches and qualifying for the World Cup,” Aston Villa midfielder Youri Tielemans said on Tuesday during a press conference attended by Courtois.
Courtois said he had been in contact with other Belgium internationals over the last two years, but that speaking in front of the group this week to explain himself and clear the air was important.
“I thought it was clear to everyone. But when I got here yesterday, I saw that it wasn’t,” Courtois said. “So it’s nice to be able to speak in front of everyone. Everything is clear, we’re moving forward. Let’s not talk about it anymore from now on.”
Courtois’ comeback does not seem to please everyone, though.
Courtois doesn’t satisfy everyone
Koen Casteels, who was Belgium’s starting ‘keeper at the 2024 European Championship, has made himself unavailable for the national team reportedly because of the circumstances around Courtois’ return to the fold. Casteels also suggested that other players were not enthusiastic about Courtois’ return.
Courtois said he did not know what Casteels was talking about, adding that his fellow ‘keeper was responsible for his decision.
Asked if he had any regrets, Courtois admitted he might have overreacted, but reiterated his claim that Tedesco did not show enough respect. Courtois said he had some physical issues at the time, and that Tedesco never came to check how he felt.
“I had never seen that in my 16-year professional career,” he said. “I know I don’t have the easiest personality, I’m a winner and I speak my mind, so it didn’t help. Things should have been solved within the team.”
Tielemans praised Garcia’s efforts toward team harmony after a controversy “that unfortunately did more harm to our squad than what we wanted.”
Under Garcia’s predecessor, who was hired in February 2023 with the goal of rebooting the Red Devils, Belgium failed and Tedesco was fired after disappointing performances at both Euro 2024, when they lost to France in the round of 16, and the Nations League.
Garcia’s first match in charge is on Thursday against Ukraine, with the mission to keep the Red Devils in League A. Belgium will then start its qualifying for the World Cup in June.

PERTH: From Palestine to Pittodrie is a road less travelled, let alone by talented center-forwards, but Oday Dabbagh’s move to Aberdeen Football Club is proving to be a fruitful one.

Dabbagh has scored three goals in six games since he joined Aberdeen on loan at the beginning of February from Charleroi in Belgium, with the Scottish Premiership club securing an option to buy this summer.

There were no goals on Saturday at McDiarmid Park in Perth as his fourth-placed side drew 0-0 at relegation battlers St Johnstone. But there were plenty of examples of why the 26-year-old Palestinian has quickly become a popular figure at Aberdeen.

Dabbagh flashed a header wide just wide of the post, produced a lovely back heel to set up Topi Keskinen for a blocked shot and impressed with his hold up and link play.

The latter is especially true with Scotland international Kevin Nisbet, whom manager Jimmy Thelin has recently chosen to play just behind Dabbagh in Aberdeen’s attack.

“Oday is a good combination player,” Thelin told Arab News after the match. “He connects well with other players. I think him and Kevin have got a good relationship in the team. Oday has strengths.

“Today, we couldn’t give him so much to work on with the passes into the box, but he’s good at finding spots in the box and when he gets opportunities he’s really calm and finds the goals.”

The Swedish manager’s thoughts were echoed by St Johnstone defender Zach Mitchell, who described Dabbagh and the Aberdeen attack as a “threat” and that shutting them out was a “tough challenge.”

In Dabbagh’s previous match, Queen’s Park proved not as fortunate. That day Palestine’s record scorer — 16 goals from 45 caps — netted a double in the quarterfinal of the Scottish Cup at Pittodrie, Aberdeen’s home ground, in a 4-1 victory that earned a semifinal versus Hearts in April.

In a rollercoaster season for Aberdeen, the semifinal is an opportunity to get one step closer to winning silverware for the first time since 2014.

It is a bristling statistic for a club that enjoyed great success under the legendary Alex Ferguson in the 1980s, including three league title triumphs and the UEFA Cup Winners Cup and Super Cup trophies.

Under the guidance of Thelin, the club’s fifth manager since 2021, Aberdeen had a remarkable start to the season, winning 10 of their first 11 league matches and even briefly topping the Scottish Premiership table.

A dramatic decline that can be attributed to injury woes, defensive frailties and a lack of goals leaves Aberdeen a point behind third-placed Hibernian — who were bottom in November. The gap between Hibernian and Edinburgh rivals Hearts in sixth is a mere five points.

With champions Celtic once again comfortably ahead of second-placed Rangers, finishing third is the aim for Aberdeen in the league. Third place earns a spot in the second round of Europa League qualifying, while fourth seals the equivalent starting point in the Conference League.

Winning the Scottish Cup would earn Aberdeen coveted silverware and a Europa League playoff-round spot next season.

That leaves ample opportunity for Jerusalem-born Dabbagh to further endear himself to the Dons supporters. In the games prior to Dabbagh signing, Aberdeen had failed to score in five league matches and not won in the Scottish Premiership since Nov. 9.

“He’s the new type of striker that Aberdeen have needed this season,” Aberdeen fan Cameron Carnie told Arab News outside McDiarmid Park before the match on Saturday.

“He’s going to do well. He’s a lot more direct than the strikers we’ve had this season. I think it’s a different dynamic, and he’s good in the air as well. The fans have absolutely taken to him pretty well.

“Everyone wants him on a permanent deal. He’s shone enough already. Hopefully he just keeps on banging in the goals.”

Fellow fan Alan Hay, like Carnie from Aberdeen, a city in the northeast of Scotland famous for being the country’s oil capital, was of a similar mindset with regards to Dabbagh’s stint in a red shirt.

“It’s early days but there’s signs of promise,” said Hay. “He’s maybe trying a little bit hard at times but I’m feeling quite positive. There’s a quickness, an awareness and an alertness to his game.

“He’s willing to run. People love an exotic striker so it’s something a bit different. He’s got a bit of personality about him.”

Dabbagh is the first Palestine international to play in Scottish football’s top flight. The striker began his career with Palestinian club Hilal Al-Quds before moving to Kuwait.

He then signed with Al-Salmiya, Qadsia, Al-Yarmouk and then Al-Arabi where he won the Kuwait Premier League and became the league’s top scorer.

Dabbagh moved to Europe for the first time when he joined Portuguese side Arouca in 2021 before joining Charleroi on a three-year deal in 2023.

Dabbagh’s next matches will be for his national team against Jordan on Thursday, and then Iraq on March 25 in World Cup qualifiers. Both matches are taking place at the Amman International Stadium due to the situation in his homeland.

When Dabbagh returns to Aberdeen, for whom he wears the No. 11 shirt, there is much to play for.

At the end of Saturday’s match at McDiarmid Park, Dabbagh and the rest of the Aberdeen players walked to their supporters to applaud them before leaving the field.

Among the throng of red shirts and scarves, a Palestinian flag was proudly waved in the air.

Should the next stage of Dabbagh’s footballing journey include the goals that propel Aberdeen to European football and — even more enticing — silverware, there will be many more Palestinian flags hoisted in celebration.