'I hugged him tightly' - Courtois backs Lammens, wants Belgium break

Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois still had a job to do after being substituted with injury in Friday's World Cup quarter-final defeat to Spain - console his replacement Senne Lammens.

The Manchester United keeper, who had an impressive first season in England, spilled a long-range shot from Pau Cubarsi on 88 minutes and allowed Mikel Merino to grab Spain's late winner for 2-1.

Courtois had gone off with a thigh injury after 71 minutes, leaving reserve Lammens to come into the game cold and face a wave of Spanish pressure which ultimately prevailed.

"I hugged him tightly. There's nothing more I can do at that moment," Courtois said of his team-mate.

"I wanted to play another five or 10 minutes," added the Real Madrid stopper, who reluctantly came off crying.

"The tears came from frustration because I had to be substituted in a game like that even though I felt good and after we levelled for 1-1 I had made some important saves. It's a shame. But in the end it was the coach's decision."

The rest is history as the last of Belgium's "golden generation," who finished third in 2018, surely say goodbye to the World Cup - including Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku.

Whether Courtois, 34, will be back at all for Belgium remains to be seen.

"That's something I need to discuss with the coach and (sporting director) Vincent Mannaert," he said.

Courtois has played in 21 World Cup matches, with only Germany's Manuel Neuer having made more appearances among goalkeepers with 23.

The keeper would like to sit out the Nations League, "after that I could return for the qualifiers and possibly the European Championship," he added.

"If (the bosses) don't see it that way, I have to think about whether I can continue coming to the national team or not. Otherwise today might have been my last game."