Real Madrid secured a hard-fought 3-1 win over VfB Stuttgart on Tuesday night in their opening UEFA Champions League fixture of the 2024/25 season at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Goals from new signings Kylian Mbappe and Endrick on either side of an Antonio Rudiger clinched the win for Los Blancos, but it was Thibaut Courtois who was the true MVP for the reigning champions.
Indeed, the Belgian shot-stopper was at his best as he stopped a barrage of attempts from the Bundesliga club to keep his team in the game.
The best in the world?
Following the match, former Real Madrid and Spain goalkeeper Santiago Canizares hailed Thibaut Courtois as the best in the world, calling him the Maradona, the Messi, and the Cristiano of goalkeeping.
“Courtois is the Maradona, the Messi, the Cristiano of goalkeeping. He is the best goalkeeper I have ever seen. Without a doubt,” said Canizares on Movistar+.
Courtois has time and again delivered for Real Madrid in clutch moments and Tuesday night was no different as he stood like a wall between the goal and the Stuttgart players.
The 32-year-old affected six saves in total, with his alertness and reflexes saving Real Madrid’s blushes on several occasions.
Courtois has now saved 30 of the last 35 shots on target he has faced for Real Madrid in the Champions League, conceding only five goals.
This was not the first time that Canizares has sung praises of the Real Madrid No. 1, having called him the best goalkeeper ever just last month.
“I’m a bit of a pain in the arse about Courtois. For me he’s the best goalkeeper I’ve ever seen, I really think so, I haven’t seen a better goalkeeper than him,” said the former Spanish international.
“This guy saves them in August, September, all the time. It’s a stratospheric thing. I doubt you’ll see anyone who looks like Courtois,” he continued.
“It looks like Courtois plays in indoor football goals because it looks like it’s simple.”
