“We looked at each other and laughed,” Thibaut Courtois reacts to Man City winning best club award

Real Madrid star Thibaut Courtois has revealed how he and his teammates reacted after Manchester City were named the winner of the best club award at the 2022 Ballon d’Or ceremony. 

Spanish giants Madrid finished in third place behind City and fellow Premier League side Liverpool. 

According to El Larguero, Courtois found the funny side of things when City were named the winners. 

The goalkeeper said: “When Manchester City won the trophy for the best club? We looked at each other and laughed.”

Courtois' fellow Madrid teammate, Toni Kroos questioned the decision on social media. Kroos wrote on his Twitter page: “3rd best team in 2021/22 – happy Real Madrid?”

Madrid finished the season with the two biggest trophies that they can possibly win, after clinching both La Liga and the Champions League. Liverpool, who finished above Madrid won only the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup, whereas the winners, City got their hands on the Premier League title after a dramatic final day. 

Courtois also shared his frustrations regarding the chances of a goalkeeper winning the Ballon d’Or in the future, claiming it is impossible for a goalkeeper to win football’s most prestigious individual award. 

He said: “I’m very happy for Karim Benzema. I'm not saying I would have won it, but I'm not even on the podium being the goalkeeper who won La Liga and the Champions League. 

“It seems that scoring a goal is better than stopping it. It is a battle that remains to be won. Seeing the logic and knowing how they vote, I knew I would have no chance of winning it.” 

Courtois added: “A future winning goalkeeper? I see that as impossible for a goalkeeper.

“It's impossible to win this award. I don't know if as a goalkeeper you can do more than what I did last year.”

Despite his frustrations, Courtois was named the winner of the Yashin Trophy after being voted as the best goalkeeper of 2022. 

Another of Courtois' teammates, Karim Benzema was the deserved winner of the big prize, the Ballon d'Or. The Frenchman was the overwhelming favourite after a stunning 21/22 campaign with Madrid.