Thibaut Courtois gives verdict on De Bruyne years after girlfriend affair spat

Thibaut Courtois has given props to Kevin De Bruyne, despite the two falling out over an affair more than a decade ago.

Manchester City midfield maestro De Bruyne and Real Madrid shot stopper Courtois were key cogs in Belgium's so-called golden generation, who only managed a third-placed finish at 2018 World Cup. However, away from the pitch, it was a polar opposite state of affairs - with De Bruyne's former girlfriend, Caroline Lijnen, reportedly cheating on him with his fellow countryman in the early 2010s.

However, the two players have ultimately put their differences aside, with Courtois even going as far as showering De Bruyne with serious amounts of praise in a recent interview. Speaking on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, presented by Qatar Airways, Courtois said: "Yeah, I think Kevin is a guy with a lot of talent, but also very hardworking.

"Also, he had like growing up in the youth, he was not always the best player or so that you thought at 12 he was going to be this kind of player, one of the best midfielders in the world. And yeah, he grew out of it. And suddenly you could see the talent he had. And I think he's a hard worker. He's someone that also wants to win and is a bad loser on the field.

"But that kind of people you need. And that you can see in Manchester City that Kevin is important for this team. And when Kevin is good, you will see that like now [Erling] Haaland would score more. Or, you know, that's just how Kevin plays.

"I think Kevin maybe will not really lead a team in a way like maybe Eden [Hazard] would do because Eden on his own can make maybe more the difference. But I think if Kevin plays good, all the team plays better. And because a team plays better, suddenly you will win your games.

"And I think Eden had more this individual class that you would give him the ball, he would dribble for it and score a goal." Courtois and De Bruyne were team-mates at Chelsea at the time of Lijnen's claimed infidelity, although the goalkeeper was on loan with Atletico Madrid.

Speaking to Story Magazine about the alleged happening, Lijnen previously claimed: "Kevin cheated on me. I did not say anything for months because I couldn't say anything, as Kevin's parents said they would take legal action if I gave my story.

"I was under pressure and I could not have contact with Kevin. I respected everything. But in his book 'Keep it Simple' Kevin wrote a passage about my affair with Thibaut. So, I decided to remain silent no longer. In the summer of 2012, Kevin told me that he had an affair with my old best friend.

"I gave him the choice: her or me. I was ready to give him another chance, but our relationship was never the same afterwards. [I then went to Madrid, and even] Kevin thought that this trip was a good idea. I asked him beforehand. But then something happened that should never have happened.

"That evening, Thibaut offered me what I had not received during a three-year relationship with Kevin. With Thibaut, I could talk about anything and everything and he had even prepared me a delicious meal. Kevin never did it for me. Kevin had deceived me and I thought, 'Why shouldn't I do that too?'."

Fast forward to 2025 and both Courtois and De Bruyne have long parted ways with Chelsea. The shot stopper left Stamford Bridge for the Bernabeu in 2018 in a £35million move, and has been a staple of the Los Blancos set-up ever since. The 32-year-old has lifted three La Liga titles, two Champions Leagues and a Copa del Rey with Real Madrid in the years since his move.

De Bruyne, meanwhile, transferred to VfL Wolfsburg in January 2014 for just £18m, before returning to the Premier League the following year as a part of Manuel Pellegrini's Manchester City side. The 33-year-old has raised six Premier League titles, nine domestic cups and a Champions League with the Cityzens, including a Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League treble in 2022/23.