Thibaut Courtois, the Belgian goalkeeper for Real Madrid, revealed the tough moments he experienced when he tore his ACL during the last preseason. However, he assured that although "many thought" his season "was over," he was convinced he would recover in time to play.

Days away from being the starting goalkeeper in the Champions League final after recovering from two knee injuries and showing his good form upon his return in LaLiga, Courtois reflected on what he went through.

"You have to be positive, above all. In August, I cried because the worst thing that can happen in football is an ACL tear. When I got home, I said I was going to work hard and come back strong. That was my idea from the start: to be positive, fight, and never give up, to push your limits. Many thought my season was over, but I knew it wasn't," he assured.

Courtois reflected on the magnitude of Real Madrid after experiencing it from the inside following years of sporting success. "From the outside, you always see the greatness, but until you're inside, you don't realize the impact Real Madrid has on world football. Each year, the goal is to win the Champions League; the club is the best in the world, and when you're inside, you see everything. When you travel the world, you realize the impact."

The Belgian goalkeeper recalled two key moments at Real Madrid. "One is the game against Galatasaray. I made about three saves and gained confidence. Since then, everything has been going up. The second moment was winning the Champions League final against Liverpool. Being able to win that final with so many saves and being chosen as man of the match is one of the best football moments of my life."