Thibu Courtois was not the clear number one when he arrived at the Bernabeu. Another talented goal-keeper, Keylor Navas held that position and wore the number 1. Thus Thibu Courtois had to settle for the number 25 which would typically be assigned to the third goal-keeper or a role player who had just been moved into the first team squad.
The arrival of Thibaut Courtois at Real Madrid in the summer of 2018 wasn’t just another transfer; it was the acquisition of a world-renowned goalkeeper, fresh off winning the Golden Glove at the World Cup. Yet, the Santiago Bernabéu already had a hero between the posts: Keylor Navas. The Costa Rican wasn’t merely a placeholder; he was the guardian who had backstopped Real Madrid to an unprecedented three consecutive Champions League titles. Navas commanded immense respect from the fans and his teammates for his crucial saves, resilience, and humble demeanor.
This set the stage for a fascinating, and at times tense, situation. Florentino Pérez had secured a younger, taller, and arguably more globally recognized goalkeeper in Courtois, seen by many as the long-term future. However, displacing a living legend like Navas, the owner of the coveted number 1 jersey, was never going to be instantaneous or straightforward.
The assignment of the number 25 jersey to Courtois for his debut 2018/19 season was highly symbolic. In La Liga, squad numbers are strictly regulated (1-25 for the primary squad), with #1 and #13 typically reserved for goalkeepers. The #25 often goes to the third-choice keeper or a newly promoted player, signifying a status beneath the established starters. For a player of Courtois’s calibre and transfer fee, wearing #25 visually underscored the initial hierarchy: Navas remained the primary choice, the incumbent champion.
The 2018/19 season became a narrative of competition. Julen Lopetegui, and later Santiago Solari, rotated the goalkeepers, attempting to manage two world-class talents. This rotation fueled endless debate among fans and pundits – loyalty to the proven champion Navas versus the potential and profile of Courtois. Every save, every goal conceded by either keeper was scrutinized intensely. While Courtois showcased his undeniable quality, he also faced the pressure of integrating into a demanding club while directly challenging a fan favorite.
As Courtois gained more ground, the situation evolved before the 2019/20 season. Keylor Navas departed for Paris Saint-Germain late in the transfer window. However, Courtois didn’t immediately inherit the prestigious #1. Instead, he switched to the number 13, a jersey number he had worn successfully at both Atlético Madrid and Chelsea. Concurrently, Alphonse Areola arrived on loan from PSG and was temporarily assigned the #1 shirt for that season. So, Courtois spent his second year proving his worth wearing #13, still one step away from the ultimate goalkeeper number.
The final step came at the start of the 2020/21 season, when Courtois officially claimed the number 1 jersey. This completed his journey from highly-touted challenger wearing #25, through a consolidating season as #13, to finally becoming the undisputed first-choice goalkeeper, visually and performatively. He has since cemented his place as one of the world’s best, adding more La Liga titles and another Champions League trophy to Real Madrid’s cabinet. But that initial period, marked by the #25 and the intermediate #13, remains a unique chapter detailing the challenging arrival of a star and the respectful, yet definitive, passing of the torch between two exceptional goalkeepers.