Real Madrid goalkeeper Courtois was interviewed by Onda Cero. In the fourth part of this exclusive interview, Courtois discussed his childhood aspirations regarding Real Madrid, his feelings about joining the club in 2018, and his history with Atletico Madrid.

You later returned to Madrid, joining 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, was Real Madrid your favorite club?

Not at age 5, to be honest. Back then it was Club Brugge and then Genk. Internationally, I also liked Chelsea and Manchester United because of Van der Sar. But once I started playing as a goalkeeper, I focused on Iker Casillas and Real Madrid, watching their matches closely.

My mother is a physiotherapist, and she had a client who frequently visited the Bernabéu two or three times a year. He would bring me back Casillas jerseys. I had a huge Bernabéu flag in my room. Interestingly, a colleague—I think you know him, Adra—later mentioned this when I joined Real Madrid. He once saw a report about me on a small local Belgian TV station, and that flag was visible in the shot.

However, when I joined Atletico Madrid, he certainly didn't show that part, because it might have been awkward. But honestly, it wasn't just Real Madrid; I also had Chelsea and other teams' flags in my room. A child 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 it, but Real Madrid has always been my dream. It always has been. So it's wonderful to be here, and not just to be here.

Did you ever think that after coming here, you would still win the Champions League? After all, you hadn't 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 twice. That's football.

I remember after the Lisbon final, I went back to Chelsea. I saw Sergio Ramos celebrating on a giant Sky Sports billboard, and I thought, "My god, now I have to watch celebrations like that too." Of course, every year you try, hoping that one day you can go all the way. But reaching a Champions League final is not easy—it's really difficult—and winning it is even harder. So when the 2022 Paris final came, I felt I had to win.

That was your Champions League. It was full of comebacks, and in a way it was your Champions League because you made so many saves. I've seen many reports and interviews with Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, and other players, and they all said, "With Courtois there, it's like shooting at a child." They had the feeling that you seemed never to let opponents score.

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

You also spoke about Atletico Madrid. You said that as time passed, your perspective on that experience changed. You said, "It's good that my colleague didn't show that photo when I was at Atletico." I remember you joined Atletico Madrid in 2011, in the summer when Gregorio Manzano was coaching. Especially later, when you returned to the Civitas Metropolitano representing Real Madrid, you faced considerable criticism and hostility in the initial visits. Do you still think now that you should retract the phrase "I am on the right side of history" from back then?

Related reading: Courtois' comments on being "on the right side" after the 2014 final upset Atletico fans.

No. That statement had nothing to do with them. I think some people interpreted it as being against Atletico, but it wasn't. If they didn't understand it then, I can explain it again—that statement was not directed at them at all.

At the time, the reporter asked about the match between Liverpool and Real Madrid. 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 eight years prior. So it's easy for people to connect the two, 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 period because I won the Europa League, the UEFA Super Cup, the Copa del Rey, and La Liga there, and also reached the Champions League final.

That experience made me fall in love with Spain. It gave me two wonderful children and made me fall in love with Madrid. So that period left me with many beautiful things. Therefore, I would never speak ill of Atletico. Since I returned here, I've met many Atletico fans on the street, and they sometimes ask me, "Why did you leave?" But I left because of an injury.

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

That's how it is. Derbies have always been great matches. We have now lost the last two. When we play them again at the Bernabéu, I hope we can get our revenge. But I actually really enjoy such matches. Even some booing or things that happen on the field that are part of a 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 could genuinely hurt you. Other than that, in the end, it's just football.

The match the other day seemed to be the first time since you returned to the Civitas Metropolitano that you weren't the focus of too much attention. There had also been much less news about you in the days leading up to it.

Yes, but think about it—I left in 2014, and it's been 12 years now. We can't keep rehashing the same thing. In the end, football moves on, and so do they. That experience will always be part of history, because I won league titles and cup titles with that team and achieved those results. That's all.

I think a lot happens every day, and many players leave. Ultimately, what truly remains are the fans—whether they are Real Madrid fans, Atletico fans, or fans of other teams. I think the fans are the most important. We players can only try our best to add our chapters to the club's history and become part of it. That's all.

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