Thibaut Courtois is usually on the other end of shots throughout the year, as the Real Madrid and Belgium goalkeeper is known for trying to keep his sheet clean for both club and country.
But the custodian was the one taking the shots in what seems to be one of the most random football beef ever, in a video that has recently surfaced online featuring his teammate Jan Vertonghen.
The man on the other end of the shots taken? Manchester United forward Anthony Martial.
Jan Vertonghen: “Name 3 major European players not at the Euros.”
— Get French Football News (@GFFN) July 9, 2021
Thibaut Courtois can only name Sergio Ramos.
Vertonghen then lists players he could have said & included Anthony Martial.
Courtois: “He’s not a major player.” (Pickx Sports)
Recent media of the two Belgians has surfaced which feature the teammates asking each other questions in Dutch while the other has to answer within five seconds.
When Vertonghen asked Courtois to name some of the major players who could not be a part of the 2020 European Championship, Courtois could only recall his now-former club teammate Sergio Ramos.
Both the Belgians laughed at Courtois’ inability to name more players, as Vertonghen then went on to state names like Virgil van Dijk, Erling Haaland, Nicolo Zaniolo and Anthony Martial.
Right after Vertonghen mentioned the Man Utd forward, Courtois quipped up with a remark stating that Martial is not a major player.
NAHH THIS GUY FULLY PICKED OUT MARTIAL AFTER HE SAID ZANIOLO pic.twitter.com/v4jWGG7dqm
— 🧩™️ (@RetiredRealist) July 9, 2021
The random shot took Vertonghen by surprise, who burst out laughing at the comment. It might have been a light-hearted comment by the former Chelsea goalkeeper, but Martial is entitled to call himself a major footballer–having won the Golden Boy award in 2015.
The Frenchman was not called up to represent France in the 2020 European Championship partly because of France’s adequate squad depth as well as his wavering form for his club.
The former Monaco star will look to prove detractors like Courtois wrong as he begins his seventh season at Man Utd–a club looking to put up their first title bid since 2013.