Real Madrid goalkeeper Courtois was interviewed by Cadena SER. In the fourth part of this exclusive interview, Courtois discusses his admiration for Real Madrid since childhood, his feelings when joining Real Madrid in 2018, and his time at Atletico Madrid.

Then you returned to Madrid and joined Real Madrid in the summer of 2018. At that time, Real Madrid had just won three consecutive Champions League titles under Zinedine Zidane, in 2016, 2017, and 2018. You said it was a dream come true because you had dreamed of playing for Real Madrid since childhood. When you first started playing football, Real Madrid was your favorite club back in Belgium.

Honestly, not at age 5. Back then it was Club Brugge, and later Genk. Internationally, there was Real Madrid and Chelsea. I also liked Manchester United because of Van der Sar. But when I started playing as a goalkeeper, I really paid attention to Iker Casillas and Real Madrid, and of course, I watched their matches.

My mother is a physiotherapist, and she had clients who would go to the Bernabéu two or three times a year. She would bring me Casillas jerseys. I used to have a big Bernabéu flag in my room. Funny enough, I think one of your colleagues, Adra, mentioned this after I joined Real Madrid. He had seen a report about me on a small local TV station in Belgium, and the flag in my room was shown in that footage.

However, when I joined Atletico Madrid, he obviously didn't air that part, because it might have been a bit awkward. But actually, it wasn't just Real Madrid; I also had Chelsea flags and other teams in my room. A kid growing up in Belgium naturally has many different idols and teams.

Ultimately, you dream of joining many clubs and watch many matches. I love football and watch a lot of football, but Real Madrid was always my dream. It has always been like that. So it's truly amazing to be here, and not just to be here.

Did you ever think, after coming here, that you would still win the Champions League? After all, you had never won it before.

Of course, that was the goal. But I still have to say, you can never take it for granted. Look at Mbappé—he came here, and in the end, Paris Saint-Germain won it twice. That's how football is.

I remember after the Lisbon final, I went back to Chelsea. I saw Sergio Ramos on a giant screen on Sky Sports celebrating, and I thought, "God, now I have to watch celebrations like that too." Of course, every year you try your best, hoping that one day you can go far. But reaching a Champions League final is not easy—it's very difficult—and winning the final is far more difficult. So when the Paris final came in 2022, I felt I had to win.

That was your Champions League, a Champions League full of comebacks, and in a way, it was also your Champions League because you made so many saves. I have read many reports and interviews with Modric, Kroos, and other players, and they all say, "With Courtois in goal, it feels like a child is shooting at me." In other words, they have the feeling that you will never let the opponent score.

Yes, but in the end, we still conceded goals in some matches. For example, in the home match against Chelsea, we were clearly behind. But in the end, in those matches, I always managed to make some crucial saves. I think if you want to go far in a competition or cup, you have to score goals and try not to concede, and you also need a great goalkeeper. That's how it is in the end.

You also mentioned Atletico Madrid earlier. You said that with time, you have a different perspective on that experience. You said, "Thank goodness my colleagues didn't publish that photo when I was at Atletico." I remember you joined Atletico Madrid in 2011, in the summer when Manzano was still coaching. Especially when you returned to the Metropolitano representing Real Madrid, you faced so much criticism and targeted abuse on several occasions. Do you still think now that, if you could, you would take back your statement at the time, "I am on the right side of history"?

Related reading: [Courtois's comment about being on the right side of history after the 2014 final angered Atletico fans]

No. Because that statement had nothing to do with them. I think some people interpreted it as being against Atletico, but it wasn't. If it wasn't understood at the time, I can explain it again: that statement was not directed at them at all.

At that time, the journalist asked me about the Liverpool and Real Madrid match. There had been a final in 2018, and I simply said that I was on the right side of history. In my mind, I wasn't even thinking about what happened 8 years before. So it's easy for people to connect that statement, but that's not how it was.

I have always had great respect for Atletico Madrid because that experience made me who I am today. I am proud of that experience because I won the Europa League, UEFA Super Cup, Copa del Rey, and La Liga there, and I also reached a Champions League final.

That experience made me fall in love with Spain, and it gave me two wonderful children, and made me love Spain and Madrid. So that period left many beautiful things for me. Therefore, I will never speak badly of Atletico. After I came back here, I felt there were many Atletico fans, and sometimes I meet them on the street, and they ask me, "Why did you leave?" But I left because of an injury.

I think some people might not understand that. I understand the rivalry between the two clubs. But from day one, they will throw things like mice at you, and all sorts of things happen in the stadium. Of course, sometimes my performance on the pitch can also be aggressive, because that's part of the game. But if you are willing to give something to your opponent, you also have to be able to handle their response.

That's how it is. Derbies are always great matches. We now... last year we lost, and this year we also lost. When we play them again at the Bernabéu, I hope we can get revenge. But I actually quite like these matches. Even some small jeers, or things that happen on the pitch that are part of the derby, I have no problem with that. That's football.

But if someone throws a lighter or something like that, then it's different, because that can really hurt you. Besides, in the end, it's just football.

A few days ago, that match seemed to be the first time since you returned to the Metropolitano that you weren't the main focus. There were also fewer reports about you in the days before.

Yes, but think about it—I left in 2014, and it's been 12 years since then. We can't keep repeating the same thing over and over. In the end, football keeps moving, and they keep moving too. That experience will always be part of history because I won league titles and cup trophies with that team and achieved those results. That's all.

I think many things happen every day, and many players leave. In the end, what really remains are the fans—whether they're Real Madrid fans, Atletico fans, or fans of another team. I believe the fans are what matters most. As players, we can only try our best to add our own chapters to the club's history and be part of it. That's all.

Diterjemahkan oleh AI.

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