Belgian Thibaut Courtois named best goalkeeper in the world

The Belgian Red Devils goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois, has received the much-deserved Yashin Trophy by Football France, making him now one of the most recognised goalies in the world.

Nicknamed the ‘wall’ and the ‘giraffe’, Courtois certainly earned those names after this season, leading his team Real Madrid to its 14th Champions League title. Some impressive numbers showcase his elite consistency, for example he stopped 79.9% of shots on target, and denied 33% of penalties.

Most impressive, though, is the number of votes he received in order to obtain the award. It was revealed that 97% of votes were in his favour, with only Bolivia, Equatorial Guinea and Slovenia not placing him in the top rank. His Real Madrid teammate, Karim Benzema, also received a staggering 98.5% voting percentile, which earned him the prestigious Ballon d’Or title.

Friends and family were quick to congratulate the Red Devil, notably his father Pierre Courtois, who said: “I’ll always be proud of my son… the title is representative of the work he’s put in throughout his career.” His Real Madrid personal trainer also congratulated both him and Benzema on social media.

Thibaut Courtois has accomplished everything a professional goalkeeper dreams of, the only challenge left now is winning the world cup with the Belgium national team, the Red Devils. The FIFA World Cup kicks off in Qatar on 20 November.

Photo: Thibaut Courtois celebrates with Belgian national team, the Red Devils, after beating Wales, September 2022 © Belga/Laurie Dieffembacq