Thibaut Courtois and Kevin De Bruyne's Past Affair Reshaped Belgian Football Belgium entered the 2026 FIFA World Cup with two of its most iconic players still central to the national team. Kevin De Bruyne, now with SSC Napoli, and Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois remain key figures for the Red Devils as they aim for international success. However, their careers were once overshadowed by a high-profile personal scandal that tested the unity of Belgium’s national team during its rise as a European football powerhouse. The controversy, involving De Bruyne’s ex-girlfriend Caroline Lijnen and Courtois, became one of the most talked-about off-field stories in Belgian football history. The incident began in 2010 when De Bruyne and Lijnen began dating. Their relationship endured for three years until a major rift occurred in the summer of 2012. According to Lijnen’s 2014 interview with Story Magazine, De Bruyne admitted to having an affair with her former best friend. Lijnen described the betrayal as devastating, giving De Bruyne the choice between his girlfriend and the woman he had cheated on her with. She chose to forgive him but acknowledged that their relationship never fully recovered. The situation escalated a year later when Lijnen traveled to Madrid, where Courtois was playing for Atlético Madrid on loan from Chelsea. During her visit, Lijnen and Courtois became involved. In her interview, Lijnen explained that Courtois provided her with emotional support and even prepared a meal, something she claimed De Bruyne had never done. She admitted to feeling justified in her actions, stating, “Kevin had deceived me and I thought, ‘Why shouldn’t I do that too?’” The scandal became public in 2014 after De Bruyne revealed the details in his autobiography, Keep It Simple.#thibaut_courtois #kevin_de_bruyne #caroline_lijnen #marc_wilmots #belgium_national_team
