Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is optimistic about the Red Devils’ chances at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, assuring journalists on Tuesday that the team has what it takes to beat any other squad. He was speaking at a press conference in Tubize ahead of the third major tournament of his career, after the 2014 World Cup and Euro 2016.
The big question for the journalists was whether the golden generation of Red Devils, who have always had a hard time against the world’s top teams like Argentina, Spain or Portugal, can overcome squads of the caliber of Brazil or Germany, which they could meet in the World Cup quarter finals.
"Evidently you need some luck; you could receive a red card, an injury,” he explained. “But if we play now against a big team, we can win. We can also lose, but I feel we are capable of winning against each team.”
His optimism also stems from the strides the national team has made since head coach Roberto Martinez took over. "We work on the technical aspect,” he explained. “We had video sessions to see where we can improve, even after the match against Portugal. These are things we never used to do before.
“Where tactics are concerned, we’re making progress. The aim is to play as Belgium. We must not think Eden Hazard and I can play as we do at Chelsea, Kevin De Bruyne and Vincent Kompany as at City, and so on. We have to think as one single head when we press, when we defend, when we attack. If we manage to do that, we have a good chance of advancing.”
The Brussels Times
