Lamine Yamal hails Thibaut Courtois before Spain vs Belgium

Thibaut Courtois has become the focus of Spain's quarter-final build-up, not because of a headline-grabbing mistake but because Lamine Yamal put him there. Ahead of Friday's tie, the Spain winger said: "For me, he's one of the best goalkeepers in the world." He also added that Courtois will make things harder, while insisting he will go out there wanting to win and not thinking about any particular player.

Courtois' status before the quarter-final

The Belgium goalkeeper is appearing in his fourth FIFA World Cup, which is a reminder of how much big-stage experience sits behind him. In Spain vs Belgium, that matters more than the usual pre-match chatter around individual match-ups. Courtois had already shown his level before the knock, posting a 7.9 rating and making 4 saves in 71 minutes.

The injury subplot is still there, though it should be handled carefully. One report said Courtois could miss 4-8 weeks, while another suggested he should still be ready for the start of Real Madrid's season. He was substituted midway through the second half after picking up a knock, and Belgium finished the game with Senne Lammens in goal after his parrying error on Mikel Merino's winner.

Yamal's confidence holds up on the pitch

Yamal did not just talk a good game. He posted a 7.3 rating against Belgium, backing up the confidence of his pre-match comments. He has also made 6 appearances and logged 413 minutes at the World Cup, which gives Spain a teenager playing like a central attacking outlet rather than a passenger in a big game.

The praise for Courtois felt genuine, but it did not soften Yamal's edge. He knows Belgium's keeper can make the job harder and still framed his own approach in the bluntest possible terms: win first, worry about the individual later. That is the right stance for Spain, because Courtois remains one of the few goalkeepers who can change the feel of a knockout match on his own.