Courtois eclipses Scifo with 18th World Cup appearance for Belgium

Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois became Belgium's most‑capped World Cup player on Thursday in Vancouver, as the Red Devils faced New Zealand in the 'match of truth', marking his eighteenth tournament appearance and overtaking Enzo Scifo's previous record of seventeen matches for the national side.

The match took place in Vancouver, Canada, where the Belgian side met New Zealand. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois stood under the crossbar for Belgium during the encounter. The fixture was billed as the 'match of truth' for the Red Devils.

Courtois' appearance marked his eighteenth World Cup match for Belgium. This number overtook the previous national record held by Enzo Scifo. Scifo's record stood at seventeen tournament games.

Enzo Scifo concluded his international career with seventeen World Cup matches. His tally had been the benchmark for Belgian players for decades. Courtois' new milestone therefore reshapes the historical leaderboard.

Courtois was not the only Belgian to register a personal record in the same game. Other members of the squad also reached individual milestones, though the specifics were not detailed. The collective achievements underscored a night of notable Belgian milestones.