Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois set to sue former Belgium national team coach Marc Wilmots for libel and defamation.
During an interview with Qatari television, Wilmots claimed that he had been told that the father of Courtois, Thierry, had revealed information about Belgium’s Euro 2016 team selection to journalists.
The 31-year-old wrote on Instagram earlier: “Mr Wilmots – not for the first time – reiterates publicly and intentionally (makes) accusations against my honour and my reputation. As well as my father, we decided together to file a complaint accompanied by criminal indemnification proceedings for libel and defamation.”
Belgium may not have achieved what they had hoped for at Euro 2016, but they were comprehensively beaten by a strong Welsh side in the quarter-finals and it is hard to see Courtois or his father passing valuable team information to the press, especially as the goalkeeper is a very competitive individual.
Belgium were rated as one of the top teams heading into the tournament, with some pundits feeling that there was even enough talent in their squad for them to go on and win. However, following their surprise defeat in the last eight, Wilmots was dismissed.
The 49-year-old went on to manage the Ivory Coast national team but left the position after the African nation failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Meanwhile, there will once again be heavy expectations for the Belgium national team heading into the summer, especially as they boast some of the world’s best players such as Courtois himself, Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne and Toby Alderweireld.
The Belgians have been drawn in Group G of the tournament in Russia and will play against the likes of England, Panama and Tunisia.
