Courtois: 'It's all or nothing for Belgium at the 2026 World Cup after a draw against Iran'

Thibaut Courtois was clear in his analysis after the goalless draw against Iran at the 2026 World Cup: "Now it is all or nothing," said the goalkeeper after missing another chance for three points. Despite the dominance in ball possession (70.1%) and a large number of chances (23 shots, 1.79 expected goals), Belgium failed to beat national coach Ardeshir Ghalenoei's Iran. Nathan Ngoy's red card made things extra difficult for the team.

Productivity remains worrying: it was the first time since the 1994 World Cup (against Saudi Arabia) that Belgium fired so many shots without scoring. In total, the national team has now made 69 goal attempts without a goal since Michy Batshuayi's goal against Canada in 2022.

Yet the Belgians have their fate in their own hands: if they win against New Zealand on June 26, qualification for the knockout phase will still be a fact. Courtois emphasized the need for sharpness: "We absolutely have to beat New Zealand. They will also dig in, I expect that. Only when we score can the game open up."


The keeper also warns against laziness. "Look at Spain-Cabo Verde or Ecuador-Curaçao, both 0-0. At a World Cup, every match is difficult."

Iran, now second in the group, will face Egypt in the final group match. Ghalenoei praised the resilience of his squad: "We come from difficult circumstances and have achieved good results against strong opponents. Tonight we celebrate this, tomorrow we focus on Egypt."

The tension in Group G is increasing towards the final round: who will take a place in the last sixteen besides group favorite Belgium?

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