Preseason tours have two purposes for clubs like reigning European champion Real Madrid. Arguably the most famous sports team on the planet, Real Madrid goes abroad in the summer as it prepares for the upcoming season, while those trips allow their foreign fans to see the club in person and pay handsomely for tickets and merchandise.
Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois understands the value of the trips for the fans.
“The results of those [friendly] games are not the most important,” Courtois said. “Last year we lost to Barcelona but in the league we ended up winning all the games. For us, the most important [thing] is to come out to the States, the fans there that I think every day are growing, are able to see us play live, get excited about soccer and about Real Madrid. For us it’s important to play those games to get in shape.”
As part of the Soccer Champions Tour, Courtois and Real Madrid are facing Christian Pulisic and Italy’s AC Milan on Wednesday at Soldier Field. In another friendly Saturday on the lakefront that’s separate from the Soccer Champions Tour, Mexico’s Club America will play English team Aston Villa.
For Courtois, playing in front of rabid fans oceans away from Spain is nothing new. Signed in 2018, Courtois has won a pair of Champions League titles and three Spanish domestic league championships with Real Madrid.
Since then, he’s seen how fans across the globe react to Real Madrid as the club continues to win trophies and build its worldwide recognition. Throngs of fans show up to open training sessions and try to meet the players at hotels or just attempt to catch a passing glimpse of the team.
“It’s an amazing feeling to see how we get support everywhere around the world,” Courtois said. “It just shows why Real Madrid is the biggest club in the world. Wherever you go, people are fans. They recognize you, and the impact it has on you as a player when you play for Real Madrid is [much] higher. You feel it straight away when you sign for Real Madrid.”
Real Madrid will not be at full strength when it faces AC Milan. Big names such as French scorer Kylian Mbappe and English midfielder Jude Bellingham are not on the tour after playing with their national teams in Euro 2024.
The players who are on the trip will see supporters who relish their chance to see Real Madrid, even if the match’s result doesn’t matter.
“For us, it’s an amazing feeling to see. We always do our best to keep those fans entertained and that they can be proud of us,” Courtois said. “They shouldn’t feel like less of a fan because they are far away from Madrid. You can be a fan everywhere in the world. That’s a nice thing about soccer, that we can come out to the States. It’s obviously a plus for those fans usually cannot make the trip to Europe, to Madrid, that can still see us in the States and preseason.”
Not every preseason friendly is riveting. Whether it’s because of the watered-down rosters or simply being exhibitions, some matches don’t leave much of a mark.
Courtois said Real Madrid players “always feel obliged to play well and sweat for the shirt, even if it’s a friendly.”
“We know we always have to give our best for this shirt, for this club,” he said. “Especially if we are playing friendly games, we know we are being watched by a lot of people, so we always want to do our best and give our best.”
