Thibaut Courtois Embroiled in Affair Scandal with Kevin De Bruyne's Ex

Thibaut Courtois was involved in a highly publicized affair with Caroline Lijnen, Kevin De Bruyne's ex, in 2013.

What happened?

The affair began when Lijnen traveled to Madrid to visit Courtois, who was playing for Atlético Madrid on loan from Chelsea.

Lijnen explained her actions, saying Courtois offered her what she had not received during her three-year relationship with De Bruyne.

She added that De Bruyne had deceived her, and she thought, 'Why shouldn’t I do that too?'

De Bruyne discussed the incident in his autobiography, Keep It Simple, and viewed the revelation as a devastating betrayal.

The controversy created tension inside the national squad as Belgium was beginning to emerge as one of Europe’s strongest international teams.

Former Belgium manager Marc Wilmots addressed the issue directly, asking De Bruyne if he wanted Courtois removed from the squad.

De Bruyne chose not to pursue that route and instead prioritized the team, saying Courtois was a good goalkeeper and should stay.

This decision allowed Belgium to move forward with both players remaining key members of the national team.

In 2025, Courtois publicly praised De Bruyne, describing him as “a guy with a lot of talent, but also very hardworking.”

Despite the highly publicized fallout, Courtois and De Bruyne continued to play together for Belgium for over a decade.

They became central figures in the country’s “Golden Generation,” helping Belgium reach third place at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

On 18 June 2018, Belgium finished third in the FIFA World Cup, with Courtois and De Bruyne playing crucial roles in the team's success.