Real Madrid star makes an unexpected reunion with his former club

Thibaut Courtois has achieved a unique career landmark, formally becoming a shareholder of Genk, the team that developed him as a teenager. The Real Madrid shot-stopper declared this is his "home" and openly expressed his desire for a long-term association with the club post-retirement.

Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has officially become a shareholder of Racing Genk, the club that nurtured and launched his career. During a ceremony at Cegeka Arena last weekend, the Real Madrid star could not hide his emotion upon returning to what he calls the "first home" of his football journey.

The general shareholders' meeting of the Belgian club approved Courtois's investment on June 1st. The deal was made through NxtPlay, the 34-year-old goalkeeper's company. This marks Courtois's first investment in a former club, although he previously held shares in Le Mans (France) and CD Extremadura (Spain).

Speaking to the media, Courtois emphasized that his special bond with Genk has never faded: "Genk and the Limburg region are my homeland. I grew up here, and my career started here. The Thibaut Courtois wearing the Real Madrid jersey today owes his success to what Genk gave me. Returning and becoming part of this family makes me feel like I'm coming home."

Courtois played for Genk's first team from 2009 to 2011 before moving to Chelsea and beginning his journey to conquer European football. He then shone successively at Atletico Madrid, Chelsea, and Real Madrid, becoming one of the world's best goalkeepers.

Though he is now 34 years old, Courtois has not yet thought about retirement. The Belgian national team goalkeeper revealed he wants to play for another 5 to 6 years. However, he did not rule out taking on a management role at Genk in the future: "When I retire, we'll see what fits. I've gained a lot of experience from top clubs around the world and hope to contribute to Genk in some way. Still, joining the board is not mandatory."

Currently, Courtois still considers Madrid his primary residence. However, he stressed that the investment project in Genk is long-term and promised to spend more time with his hometown club after ending his professional playing career.