The goalkeeper says plenty is at stake in the Group G finale, despite both teams already booking a place in the knockout rounds
Thibaut Courtois says there’s plenty of pride at stake when Belgium and England meet to determine who wins Group G in Kaliningrad on Thursday. Both teams have confirmed passage to the knockout phases already, and many have suggested that finishing top of the group could be a disadvantage with the way the draw could map out. However, Courtois says it is important to continue building momentum throughout a tournament, while adding that the fact many of the Belgium players are facing their Premier League team-mates adds extra incentive.
“I don’t think it matters if you finish second or first. But if you want to have that winning feeling, it’s best to keep winning,” he said. “For me, there is pride at stake. I don’t want to go back to England in July with a losing feeling. “It’s about prestige because they have a lot of guys we know and we have a lot of guys they know.”
Meanwhile Belgium head coach Roberto Martinez has claimed he could make a number of changes for the dead rubber, with injuries and possible suspensions to consider. Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne is one of three players who are one yellow card away from missing the last 16 match, whilst Romelu Lukaku, Eden Hazard, Dries Mertens and Vincent Kompany are all doubts with minor injuries. “It could be an option,” Martinez said when asked if he would consider wholesale changes for the fixture. “I think everybody deserves to play at the World Cup, so it’s more important for me to be able to give that opportunity and see how they can react on the pitch and how much they can contribute. “Nobody has a place guaranteed in this team at the moment, that’s the way we are looking at it. So, it could be a possibility, yes.”