How Thibaut Courtois’ Affair With Kevin De Bruyne’s Ex Caroline Lijnen Changed Belgian Football

Belgium entered the 2026 FIFA World Cup with two of the most accomplished players in its history still at the center of 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 pursue success on the international stage.

More than a decade ago, however, the pair found themselves at the center of one of Belgian football’s most talked-about off-field controversies. The story involved De Bruyne’s former girlfriend Caroline Lijnen and created tension within Belgium’s national team setup during the early years of what would become the country’s celebrated “Golden Generation.”

The controversy resurfaced in recent years after Courtois publicly praised his longtime teammate. Speaking on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast in 2025, Courtois described De Bruyne as “a guy with a lot of talent, but also very hardworking,” highlighting how far their professional relationship has come since the events that once threatened to divide the national team.

Kevin De Bruyne, Caroline Lijnen and Thibaut Courtois: How the Story Began

GettyThibaut Courtois speaks with Kevin De Bruyne

De Bruyne and Caroline Lijnen began dating in 2010 and remained together for three years.

According to Lijnen’s 2014 interview with Story Magazine, the relationship suffered a major setback during the summer of 2012.

“In the summer of 2012, Kevin told me that he had an affair with my old best friend,” Lijnen said. “I gave him the choice: her or me. I was ready to give him another chance, but our relationship was never the same afterwards.”

A year later, Lijnen traveled to Madrid while Courtois was playing for Atlético Madrid on loan from Chelsea.

During that visit, Lijnen and Courtois became involved.

Explaining her actions to Story Magazine, Lijnen said: “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.”

She added: “Kevin had deceived me and I thought, ‘Why shouldn’t I do that too?’”

Kevin De Bruyne’s Response and Belgium National Team Fallout

GettyBelgium’s goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and Belgium’s midfielder Kevin De Bruyne

The situation became public in 2014 after De Bruyne discussed the incident in his autobiography, Keep It Simple.

According to accounts from the period, De Bruyne viewed the revelation as a devastating betrayal because Courtois was not only a teammate but also someone he regularly saw within the Belgium national team setup.

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 later addressed the issue directly.

According to reports surrounding the incident, Wilmots asked De Bruyne whether he wanted Courtois removed from the squad due to a personal conflict.

De Bruyne chose not to pursue that route and instead prioritized the team.

According to the account, De Bruyne responded: “He’s a good goalkeeper, he should stay for the team.”

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

Thibaut Courtois and Kevin De Bruyne Moved Forward

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

They became central figures in the country’s “Golden Generation,” helping Belgium reach third place at the 2018 FIFA World Cup and consistently compete among the world’s top-ranked nations.

Their relationship remained largely professional, but public signs of hostility gradually faded.

In 2025, Courtois openly praised De Bruyne’s development and importance to his teams.

“I think Kevin is a guy with a lot of talent, but also very hardworking,” Courtois said. “I think he’s a hard worker. He’s someone that also wants to win.”

Away from football, both men rebuilt their personal lives.

De Bruyne married Michèle Lacroix in 2017, and the couple now have three children. Courtois married model Mishel Gerzig in 2023.

More than a decade after the controversy first emerged, the episode remains one of the most discussed stories in Belgian football history. Yet it ultimately became a story of professionalism, with two of Belgium’s biggest stars continuing to represent their country together despite a highly personal dispute.

Debayan Biswas Debayan Biswas is a sports writer at Heavy Sports covering NBA, NFL, Soccer, and Golf. His work has been syndicated on Yahoo Sports, Yardbarker, Flipboard, The Sun News, and The Olympian. Previously, he contributed to Athlon Sports, EssentiallySports, and PFSN. More about Debayan Biswas