Belgium

I think both are awesome. Mignolet probably top 15 in the world, Courtois now definitely top 3 after another stellar season. In Holland a couple of pundits (former players) recently uninamously said they thought he was the best in the world already. I think Neuer is still definitely ahead of him, but he's the only one IMHO who's clearly still better. Cech, De Gea, Casillas, Buffon, Weidenfeller, ... They all are great keepers, but I think only one or none of them is as complete and as exceptionally great as Courtois.

I used to think the same though: before Courtois Mignolet was our n°1 for a brief time and only had good games. I thought Thibaut was still too much of a raw gem, relying on reflex-saves and not always positioning himself well; but since the first minute he played I've only seen him make one mistake for us, and that was the free kick against Serbia. And even that wasn't that bad a mistake IMO: I too was surprised Kolarov shot it to the lower right corner instead of the upper left one, and when the ball comes from behind the wall like that it's not easy to get it when you're commited to the left. Courtois himself also admitted immediately after the game that it was his mistake and that it's something he'll learn from. He anticipated too much, and he won't do it again.

He was also playing with a painful groin injury so he couldn't move too well and couldn't kick the ball at all (hence his poor distribution of the ball). I think it was up to Wilmots to realize that injury made him a weak link in the passing game of our defence and he should've started Mignolet instead.

But the fact he's so damn good at everything a keeper needs (aerial ability, reflexes, positional awareness, reading of the movement of players, organizing his defence,...) makes him the best for our country IMO. I even think he made (far) less mistakes than Neuer this season, who had a couple of shaky games because he hardly had to do anything and lost focus. Courtois on the other hand, is always concentrated and keeps track of the game at all times.

Woooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Haha Hazard is zo'n geweldige speler.. Mama Mia.. Real Madrid moest hem hebben gehaald!

I'VE BEEN TO GARDEN OF EDEN. AND IT WAS GOOD.

Apple of Eden!