Thibaut Courtois Biography: Net Worth, Age, Career, Records, Family, Achievements!
Thibaut Courtois (born 11 May 1992) is a Belgian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for La Liga club Real Madrid and the Belgium national team. Often considered one of the best goalkeepers in the world, Courtois is known for his quick reflexes, shot-stopping abilities, command of the area and distribution of the ball.
What is Thibaut Courtois’ Background and Early Career?
Thibaut Courtois was born in Bree, Belgium and began his football career with local youth clubs at a young age. He joined the youth academy of Genk at age 15 and made his first-team debut at 17 in 2009. After one season as Genk’s starting goalkeeper, he signed with Chelsea in 2011 at age 19 but was immediately loaned to Atletico Madrid for three highly successful seasons from 2011 to 2014. Courtois helped Atletico win La Liga, the Copa del Rey, the Europa League and reach the Champions League final during his loans.
When Did Thibaut Courtois Join Real Madrid?
After returning to Chelsea FC and spending four seasons as their starting goalkeeper, winning two Premier League titles, Thibaut Courtois signed with Real Madrid in 2018 on a six-year contract for a reported €35 million transfer fee.
Still only 26 years old at the time, Courtois was brought in to take over from legendary keeper Iker Casillas as Los Blancos’ long-term goalkeeper.
Thibaut Courtois’ Net Worth and Salary
According to multiple reports, Thibaut Courtois’ current net worth stands at an estimated $30 million as of 2024. His annual salary at Real Madrid is said to be around €9 million, making him one of the highest paid goalkeepers in football. Over the course of his career, Courtois has earned over $50 million in total club salary payments.
As one of the most marketable and endorsed football players from Belgium, he also earns millions per year from numerous sponsorship deals with brands like Nike, EA Sports, Cadbury chocolate, Jan Bakel bread, and more.
What is Thibaut Courtois’ Contract at Real Madrid?
In 2018, Courtois signed a 6-year contract at Real Madrid that will keep him at the club until 2024, when he will be 32 years old. The contract pays him a reported annual salary of €9 million, equating to over €50 million for the entire contract length.
This salary makes him Real Madrid’s second highest paid player behind Eden Hazard but on par with other Galacticos like Gareth Bale and Toni Kroos.
What Sponsorship Deals Does He Have?
Some of Courtois’ major personal sponsors include global sportswear giant Nike, who provides his gloves, boots and clothing, videogame developer EA Sports, who feature him on the cover of FIFA video games, Belgian bread brand Jan Bakel and Cadbury chocolate.
These lucrative deals are on top of the big money team sponsorships he earns as Real Madrid’s starting goalkeeper with sponsors like Adidas, Emirates Airlines and more.
Thibaut Courtois’ Age, Physical Attributes and Playing Style
- Age: 32 years old as of 2024
- Height: 6 feet 6 inches (1.99 meters)
- Weight: 209 pounds (95 kg)
- Arm span: 2.01 meters
- Shoe size: 131⁄2 (UK) / 14 (US)
With his exceptionally tall height and long limbs combined with top-end agility and reflexes for his size, Thibaut Courtois is considered a physically imposing, athletic and well-rounded goalkeeper. His technique and levelheaded decision making complement his physical gifts as an elite modern keeper.
Courtois’ height, reach and anticipation make him a dominant force in the air and able to effectively claim crosses into the box. His composure and ability to read shots makes him an outstanding shot stopper.
His distribution skills are also well above average for a keeper. While not the most nimble with the ball at his feet, Courtois’ kicking power and accuracy make him effective at counter attacks and helping his team transition quickly upfield.
Overall, Courtois plays an athletic, reflexive, and confident style befitting one of the world’s top keepers. His combination of size, agility, awareness, fundamentals, and smart risks make him a formidable opponent for any striker.
Thibaut Courtois’ Family, Wife and Children
Thibaut Courtois comes from a family of volleyball players and athletes in Belgium. Both his parents were on Belgium’s national volleyball teams with his father later becoming his youth coach at Genk.
Courtois has two children with his long-time Spanish girlfriend Marta Domínguez. Their first child, daughter Adriana, was born in 2015. In 2017, the couple had a son named Nicolás. The family resides together in Madrid where Courtois plays for Real.
In June 2022, Courtois and Domínguez were reportedly married in a private ceremony in Tenerife. Images from their wedding showed several Real Madrid teammates in attendance as well.
Thibaut Courtois’ Career Records, Awards and Achievements
Despite only being 32, Thibaut Courtois’ trophy cabinet is already brimming with major honors and awards:
- Team Honors: 3 La Liga titles, 2 Premier League titles, 1 Copa del Rey, 1 FA Cup, 3 UEFA Champions League titles, 2 UEFA Super Cups, 2 FIFA Club World Cups and more
- Individual Awards and Records: The Best FIFA Goalkeeper (2018), Best Belgian Player Abroad (2014, 2017-2019), Golden Glove at 2018 World Cup, La Liga record for longest unbeaten run at home (12 games), 7 La Liga Team of the Season selections, over 250 professional appearances by age 25.
- At the 2018 World Cup in Russia, Courtois won the Golden Glove as the best goalkeeper in the tournament and helped lead Belgium to a historic semi-finals finish, their best ever World Cup result.
- In 2022, Courtois delivered all-time legendary performances in the Champions League knockout stages and final to lead Real Madrid to a record 14th European crown, including a man of the match display in the final itself against Liverpool.
Still in his early 30s and at the peak of his powers, Courtois will likely accumulate even more accolades and records before he retires as one of the greatest keepers of his generation.
What are Some Highlights from Courtois’ Career?
Some selected highlights and standout moments from Thibaut Courtois’ illustrious career so far:
- At age 20, helped Atletico Madrid win the Europa League in 2012 with a string of impressive displays
- Kept an astounding 20 clean sheets in 38 La Liga matches in 2013-14 as Atletico won their first Spanish league title in 18 years
- After finally becoming Chelsea’s #1 in 2014, Courtois set a new club record for most clean sheets (16) by a keeper in his debut Premier League season
- With several point blank reflex saves in the closing minutes, Courtois was man of the match in Belgium’s famous 2018 World Cup quarter-final victory over tournament favourites Brazil
- Faced down a record 42 shots on target across Real Madrid’s miraculous 2021-22 Champions League knockout stage and final run, making numerous seemingly impossible saves
- His player-of-the-match performance with 9 saves in the 2022 Champions League final vs Liverpool is already considered an all-time classic goalkeeping display in a European cup final
Thibaut Courtois’ Injury History and Fitness
While supremely talented, one area of concern earlier in Courtois’ career was his injury history and fitness issues that caused him to miss many matches during his time at Chelsea. Recurring knee and hamstring problems, including ruptured knee ligaments in 2017, restricted him to just 5 league appearances in Chelsea’s 2017-18 season.
However, since joining Real Madrid in 2018, Courtois has put these injury woes firmly behind him.
He has been a virtual ever-present for Los Blancos for 5 straight seasons now, missing very few matches and proving his durability as an elite starter at the highest level even amidst Real Madrid’s taxing match schedule.
Courtois’ extensive fitness regime is credited for his ability to shake off his early career injury troubles. He has also benefited from expert medical treatment and slightly more selective management of his workload in recent years at Madrid.