Chelsea keeper Thibaut Courtois has credited his involvement in another sport as one of the reasons behind his success as a footballer. The Blues number one has had a phenomenal season between the posts for Chelsea. With eight matches still left to be played, Chelsea are all but guaranteed to claim the Premier League trophy this year, and a lot of credit has to go to their 22-year-old goalkeeper.
Thibaut Courtois is one of just two keepers who have been nominated in FIFA’s 23-man list for the Ballon d’Or award. The young Belgian is extremely well thought of across Europe due to his performances and ability at such a young age, yet he often finds himself talked about as one of the best keepers in the world.
The young Belgian has not only staked his claim as the definitive first choice goalkeeper at the club ahead of the legendary Petr Cech, but he is widely considered to be among the best in his position in world football.
What does Courtois put his meteoric rise in world football down to? In a recent interview with Chelsea magazine, he cited a completely different sport as the reason behind his natural ability as a keeper.
“I’m raised in a volleyball family, where tall players also have to dive quickly, so I think there is something genetic.”
“I have good reflexes and I am still quick for my height, so that’s why I can reach those balls which maybe look impossible for a tall guy to get on the floor. I can save them because I’m quick and tall, so I have both things. I’m sure that playing volleyball when I was younger helped me.”
He added that it wasn’t just the family DNA that helped him become a supremely talented athlete. He explained that he never would have achieved sporting success, if his parents hadn’t thought him to keep his ego in check.
“My parents influenced me a lot in the beginning because they are both sporting people. They always told me I have to keep my feet on the ground and be humble because when you are young and talented sometimes you can already act like a big star and people don’t like that,”
So in the nature vs nurture debate, Courtois is a member of the “bit of both” brigade.
Major honours in calendar year:
This season one thing stands above all else for Courtois and that was the La Liga title that he helped Atletico Madrid to win. It was the club’s first league title since 1996 and it capped a remarkable turnaround at the club since former player Diego Simeone took over as manager. It was also the first time that the La Liga duopoly had been broken since 2004 when Rafa Benitez’s Valencia won the league.
At the heart of that success was Courtois whose performances in goal were nothing short of sublime. The young Belgian also helped his team to reach the final of the Champions League where they eventually lost to rivals Real Madrid but he did help knock out parent club Chelsea along the way.
Why he deserves his nomination:
Beyond Manuel Neuer and possibly Hugo Lloris is hard to find a goalkeeper who is better than Courtois in world football and it is important to remember that he is still just 22. It is absolutely astonishing that this young man can possess so much talent and confidence, he will be a mainstay of the Chelsea team for years to come.
He excels in all areas; he is great at coming off his line, he is calm when claiming high balls and his reflexes are remarkable. Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho had to make a big decision this season when he decided to drop club legend Petr Cech in order to start Courtois and so far his faith has been totally justified.