Courtois announces the date of his retirement and what he'll do when he hangs up his gloves

One of the most important players in the present and future sports project at Real Madrid is Thibaut Courtois. While it is true that the Belgian goalkeeper has barely had any prominence in the first three league matches, thanks to Xabi Alonso's good approach, he keeps his status as the undisputed starter.

So much so that the executives led by Florentino Pérez have reportedly decided to extend his contract for one more season, until mid-2027. The previous deal was set to expire in the summer of 2026, right at the end of the current soccer season. Despite the good performance he has delivered and is still delivering, Courtois has already entered the area of annual renewals.

Indeed, the European goalkeeper has surpassed the 30-year-old mark; he is now 33. That's why the merengue sports management is already thinking about his most direct replacement, the goalkeeper who could succeed Thibaut Courtois while keeping the same quality and strength to defend the goal. The first plans point to Andriy Lunin, although the candidacy of Fran González from Real Madrid Castilla has not gone unnoticed either.

Away from that debate, many are wondering what Thibaut Courtois will do when he puts an end to his time as a professional footballer. The answer was provided by the merengue player himself just a day ago, on Sunday, August 31, with his presence at the Zandvoort circuit, located in the Netherlands.

He has everything planned

Formula 1 is a passion that Thibaut Courtois has kept for a long time. Indeed, the Madridist "1", whenever his commitments with the white club allow, travels to follow the Grands Prix closest to the capital of Spain. The best example of this trend is his almost constant presence at the Belgian Grand Prix.

This race, held at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, is scheduled during the month of July. With the members of the European football elite on vacation, Courtois has enough time to be present at one of the major events of his favorite sport... outside of soccer.

The Madridist goalkeeper's investment in motorsport is not limited to these trips as just another fan. He also bought in 2023 the team now called TC Racing, renamed after the initials of his first and last name. This team is currently in the fourth category of the "Big Circus" but has big ambitions.

Thibaut Courtois also hopes to drive a single-seater in the near future: "When I retire, right now contracts don't allow us. In five or six years I'll go for it", he confided to DAZN microphones during his visit to the Dutch Grand Prix on Sunday, August 31. The Madridist goalkeeper's passion is getting closer every day to becoming his next job.