Thibaut Courtois has a new club! Real Madrid stopper becomes shareholder of French club

Reported by RMC Sport following an official communication by Le Mans FC on Thursday, Courtois has joined the club as their latest shareholder and will look to use his expertise as a world-class Champions League and La Liga-winning goalkeeper to help drive the Ligue 2 club towards promotion and consolidation on their goal of becoming one of the biggest clubs in France.

The 33-year-old joined up with Le Mans through his investment company NxtPlay Capital. Brazilian group Outfield has completed a takeover to become the majority shareholder of Le Mans, with Courtois’ involvement arriving alongside other minority shareholders such as Djokovic, Massa and Magnussen, though the Real Madrid shot-stopper is the first of the quartet to be from the world of football.

Le Mans wrote in a club statement: "A two-time UEFA Champions League winner and iconic goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois brings top-level expertise, both on and off the pitch.”

They continued: "Having acquired a stake in Le Mans FC this summer, the Brazilian group OutField is now taking another step forward by finalizing the acquisition of the club alongside a strengthened group of world-renowned athletes and European investors.

"This increased commitment aims to accelerate and consolidate the structural development of Le Mans FC. Working alongside Thierry Gomez, the club's president, OutField will provide the necessary resources to support and amplify the project's growth.

"One of the project's pillars is already underway: the construction of a training centre dedicated to developing local talent. In the medium term, the objective is to make Le Mans FC a national benchmark in youth development, making it a strategic driver of growth and a sustainable talent pool for the first team.”

The club statement added: "As he approaches his tenth year as president, Thierry Gomez will remain at the heart of the project he initiated in 2016: building a structured and resilient club for the long term.

"For nine years, extensive work has been carried out to strengthen the club's organization, develop youth training, support the growth of the women's section, and unite all stakeholders of Le Mans FC: players, staff, employees, volunteers, partners, and supporters.

"The ambition is to build an ambitious and sustainable football club, rooted in the city's iconic motorsport heritage and a globally recognized brand identity. The priorities are strengthening sporting performance and developing the club's brand, both locally and internationally, in order to fully unlock the sporting and commercial potential of Le Mans FC."

Le Mans have been dubbed the ‘French Wrexham’ due to their star-studded line-up of celebrity owners, while Courtois is following in the footsteps of Los Blancos team-mates Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr, both of whom have invested in clubs in the past. Mbappe invested £12.6million ($16.9m) in French third-tier club SM Caen in July 2024, while Vinicius is a majority investor at Portuguese top-flight club FC Alverca, who won promotion to the Primeira Liga last season.

Courtois’ arrival at Le Mans reflects the French club’s ambitions to become renowned across Europe and beyond, with the investment and support of world-class athletes such as the Belgian and Djokovic.

Le Mans currently sit fifth in Ligue 2, just three points behind leaders Troyes with 23 matches played. They achieved promotion from Championnat National, the third tier of French football, in 2024/25 and have not been in Ligue 1 since 2009/10, only spending five seasons in the top flight in the club’s history. With the investment and support of Courtois to add to their existing high-profile ownership, they will hope that is to change soon enough.