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

Most footballers monetize their fame by signing sponsorship deals with brands, acting as ambassadors, or opening restaurants named after themselves. 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 usually they see an opportunity to understand what you do."

"Others have brand endorsements and are less concerned with investments, but I believe that when they see value in what I do and trust me, it will ultimately attract more attention."

"Being active on LinkedIn and involved with NXTPLAY, I feel there will be more opportunities, and they treat me as a businessman. Perhaps they trust me more than they would an ordinary football player."

"The most important thing is to strive to do things well and have a diligent work ethic. As a professional football player, you aspire to do things well and constantly improve. 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 have also worked alongside some of the most outstanding leaders in sports, both on and off the field. These transferable skills are crucial for your future success in business.

"Leadership is very important. It's about how to delegate and how to work with people who understand you. Learning from people like Ancelotti and Mourinho, who have very different styles but are both 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 – your former club Genk is included.

"It felt amazing to sign with them. I owe everything to them and to the excellent youth academy that helped me grow into the person and goalkeeper I am today. We want to help businesses grow and expand."

"Whether in tech or media, we also hope to help clubs like Genk become leaders in the Belgian league. We see Club Brugge as a strong rival; they've invested heavily in expanding their stadium, but we believe 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 current investment portfolio is mainly focused on Europe. Have you considered entering the US market in the future?

"The scale of American sports teams is enormous, and you can see them continuously growing. The American sports market is also constantly expanding. My love for these sports strongly resonates with the US sports market. We aspire to dream big, but everything must be done step by step."

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

"Esports has huge potential. Everyone can play games on their phone or watch live streams. It's a way to connect with each other. A thirteen or fourteen-year-old kid who loves racing can find friends, find a sense of belonging, and pursue their dreams. Why can't they eventually own a real race car?"

What is the specific direction for NXTPLAY after you retire?

"I haven't decided yet. I'm not sure if I want to be a first-team coach; being with so many players would quickly become tiring. Maybe I could work in Real Madrid's goalkeeper department, building a top-notch youth academy and developing a player like myself, rather than just buying one. But I still want to play for another five or six years."

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