This week, Courtois gave an exclusive interview to Forbes magazine, discussing his investment brand NXTPLAY and his future plans.

Most footballers make money from their fame by signing sponsorship deals with brands, acting as ambassadors, or even opening restaurants under their own names. However, you launched the investment platform NXTPLAY earlier this year.

"Some people are more interested in this, some share our vision, and sometimes you need to communicate with their teams, but generally, they see an opportunity to understand your work."

"Others have brand endorsements and care less about investments, but I believe that when they see the value in what I'm doing and trust me, it will ultimately attract more attention."

"By being active on LinkedIn and involved with NXTPLAY, I feel there will be more opportunities, and they also see me as a businessman. Perhaps they trust me more than a typical footballer."

"Most importantly, you try to do things well and have a strong work ethic. As a professional footballer, you aim to do things well and constantly improve yourself. In some collaborations, I can express my vision more clearly because I've been in this industry for 20 years; in others, I need to learn."

You've also worked with some of the most remarkable leaders in sports, both on and off the pitch. These transferable skills are crucial for your future success in business.

"Leadership is very important; it's about how you delegate and how you work with people who understand you. Learning from people like Ancelotti and Mourinho, who have very different styles but are excellent leaders and know how to build a team. Our goal is to build a dream team."

Among the three football clubs under NXTPLAY – Genk, Le Mans, and Extremadura – is your former club, Genk.

"It feels incredible to sign with them. I owe everything to them and the remarkable youth academy that helped me grow into the person and goalkeeper I am today. We want to help the business grow and develop."

"Whether in technology or media, we also hope to help clubs like Genk become leaders in the Belgian league. We see Club Brugge as strong competitors; they've invested heavily in expanding their stadium, but we're confident we can compete with them."

"I've always dreamed of playing against Genk, but it never happened. If Genk could play Real Madrid in the Champions League, that would be the ideal way to end my career."

NXTPLAY's investment portfolio currently focuses mostly on Europe. Are you considering entering the US market in the future?

"The scale of American sports teams is very large, and you can see them continuing to grow. The American sports market is also constantly evolving. My passion for this sport aligns well with the American sports market. We aim to dream big, but everything must be done one step at a time."

The platform has entered the esports space by investing in PlayVault.

"Esports has great potential. Anyone can play games or watch livestreams on their phone; it's a way to connect with each other. A thirteen- or fourteen-year-old who loves racing can find friends, a sense of belonging, and pursue their dreams. Why shouldn't they eventually have a real racing car?"

What's your specific direction for developing NXTPLAY after you retire?

"I haven't decided yet. I'm not sure if I want to be a head coach; being around so many players would quickly become exhausting. Maybe I could work in Real Madrid's goalkeeper department, building the best youth academy. To develop players like me, rather than just buying one. But I still want to play for five or six more years."

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