Former Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has dismissed suggestions that Manchester United forward Anthony Martial should be considered ‘world class’.
Martial missed out on a place in France’s squad for Euro 2020 this summer after suffering a knee injury towards the end of last season.
The 25-year-old has struggled for consistency during his time at Old Trafford and Courtois has suggested that the United forward does not deserve to be put in the ‘world class’ player bracket.
In a quickfire Q&A with his Belgium teammate Jan Vertonghen for Pickx Sports, Courtois was asked to name three star players who were not at Euro 2020.
Courtois was only able to name his former Real Madrid teammate Sergio Ramos before the seven-second timer ran out.
Vertonghen then told Courtois he could’ve also named Erling Haaland, Martial, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Virgil van Dijk, Nicolo Zaniolo, Moise Kean, Edin Dzeko, Jan Oblak and Miralem Pjanic.
But Courtois then said: ‘Martial… he is a star player?’
Martial scored seven goals in 36 appearances for United last season but found it difficult to secure a regular role as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s leading striker following the arrival of Edinson Cavani.
Martial had played his way back into Didier Deschamps’ thinking for France’s national team and would’ve made the cut for the Euro 2020 squad if he wasn’t injured.
‘Anthony Martial would have been here, but he is not available. His condition does not allow it,’ Deschamps said before the tournament.