Belgium was celebrating qualifying for the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup after beating the United States 4-1 when a scene lasting just a few seconds ended up stealing part of the post-match conversation.
The official broadcast cameras captured Thibaut Courtois and Kevin De Bruyne in one of the entrances to the Seattle Stadium locker room.
The sequence, which began to circulate quickly on social networks, immediately revived a story that has accompanied the European team for more than a decade.
At first glance, the journey seemed to reflect the distance attributed to them. Courtois advanced in the foreground with his gloves on and his gaze lowered, while De Bruyne walked immediately behind the Real Madrid goalkeeper.
However, a clinical look at the video reveals a nuance in the second one: upon entering the hallway, De Bruyne extends his right hand and lightly touches the goalkeeper on the back while saying something briefly as he passes.. Courtois, without turning his head or breaking his stride, makes a movement with his face that registers his captain’s comment, before the midfielder passes him on the left side.
It is not known what he said to him, but this showed something different from what was said on July 2 when the Belgian team beat Senegal 3-2 in the round of 16. That time, various media showed that both players did not greet each other after the victory.
An episode that marked the Belgian generation
The origin of the rift between Courtois and De Bruyne dates back to 2013, when both belonged to Chelsea in England.
At that time, Caroline Lijnen, De Bruyne’s then romantic partner, acknowledged having had a relationship with Courtois during a stay in Madrid, an episode that caused the couple to break up and which transcended the surroundings of the Belgian team.
Since then, the relationship between both footballers has been the subject of attention every time Belgium faces a major international competition.
Although neither of them has made the issue a recurring topic in recent years, neither have they publicly fostered an image of closeness off the field of play.
A video that reopened the debate
The sequence broadcast after the victory against the United States does not in itself prove the current state of the relationship between both players, but it was enough to reactivate the debate between fans and European media, who once again recalled the episode that occurred more than a decade ago.
On social networks, numerous users interpreted the absence of interaction as a sign of the distance that has historically been attributed to both leaders of the so-called “golden generation” of Belgian football.
However, beyond the interpretations, the images only show a specific moment after the World Cup qualification.
The challenge is now called Spain
While the video continues to generate comments, Belgium prepares one of the most demanding commitments of the tournament.
The team led by Rudi García will face Spain this Friday for a ticket to the semifinals of the 2026 World Cup, a match in which two footballers who are essential for the team’s functioning will meet again.
Courtois will be in charge of supporting the last defensive line against the Spanish attack, while De Bruyne will once again assume responsibility for leading the Red Devils’ offensive game.
Whatever the nature of their personal relationship, they both share an immediate objective: to keep Belgium alive in a World Cup where the European team is once again among the main candidates for the title.