Courtois backs Lammens to bounce back after World Cup blunder

Lammens' appearance off the bench ended in calamity, when he failed to deal with a long-range strike from Pau Cubarsi, and Mikel Merino pounced to blast in an 88th-minute winner for Spain.

Belgium goalkeeper Senne Lammens (12) spills the ball as Spain's Mikel Merino (6), center left, closes in to score their second goal during the World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Spain and Belgium in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Friday, July 10, 2026.  (Photo | AP)

LOS ANGELES: Thibaut Courtois rallied behind Belgium substitute goalkeeper Senne Lammens on Friday after the Manchester United stopper's agonising late blunder gifted Spain a 2-1 victory in their World Cup quarter-final.

Real Madrid star Courtois exited the game in the 71st minute after complaining of a muscular problem, making way for 24-year-old understudy Lammens at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

But Lammens' appearance off the bench ended in calamity, when he failed to deal with a long-range strike from Pau Cubarsi, and Mikel Merino pounced to blast in an 88th-minute winner for Spain.

Courtois, 34, who revealed to reporters that he had wanted to stay on the field before being subbed off, offered sympathy to Lammens.

"I gave him a big hug. He's a great goalkeeper. You only get stronger from this," Courtois said of his teammate.

"Eventually you cannot say much more to him or give him much more advice. He is a strong guy, strong personality. I'm sure he'll be fine.

"You know, he will have some holidays and then regroup in Manchester and have a great season."

Courtois meanwhile revealed he had felt pain in his right leg early in the second half after a clearance and had wanted to stay on the field before being hooked by Belgium manager Rudi Garcia.

"Obviously, I wanted to continue, but the coach wanted someone 100%," Courtois said.

"I wanted to try to play maybe five or 10 minutes because I was feeling good. I was making saves, and I was not disturbed to make those saves.

"So that's a decision of the coach, and that's not a problem.

"Obviously you're not happy when you have to leave a quarter-final of a World Cup. But yeah, sometimes it is what it is. You can't change it."

Belgium defender Brandon Mechele also expressed support for Lammens.

"It's a learning moment for him," Mechelen said. "It was not the most easy ball. I think it bounces just in front of him. And we as defenders could have helped him by following up maybe more.

"So he he needs to learn from this, and we as a group we have to be there for each other and help each other."