Thibaut Courtois aims for F2 and F3 with TC Racing - what other footballers have ventured into motorsport?

TC Racing team owner and Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois have this week announced they’ll be racing in Eurocup-3 from 2026 and Courtois himself has not been shy in stating his lofty ambitions to take TC Racing into Formula 2 & 3 in the future.

The former Chelsea FC stopper showed his interest in racing when he was taking part in online Grands Prix during and after the pandemic, but is not the only footballer to have ventured into motorsport, as these examples below show.

📸 Thibaut Courtois.

📸 TC Racing currently compete in Spanish F4 and are based in Madrid but will add to their roster with a Eurocup-3 entry in 2026.

Fabien Barthez

French goalie Barthez made a good career for himself playing for Marseille and Manchester United among others, winning the World Cup, the UEFA Champions League, English Premier League and European Championships as well as other honours.

Post football, he stepped into sports cars, racing at Le Mans, winning in GT cars and racing in Porsche Carrera championships.

Jerzy Dudek

I swear it’s not all goalkeepers. However, Polish goalie Dudek, having left Real Madrid in 2011 after a distinguished career playing for Madrid, a lengthy (and Champions League winning) stint with Liverpool, a stay with Feyenoord and more, returned to sports in 2014.

Rather than goalie gloves, the wobbly legged stopper (see 2005 Champions League final), pulled on driving gloves and raced in the Volkswagen Castrol Cup, a one-make series with Golf GTI’s.

Santiago Cañizares

Honestly, it’s not all ‘keepers! Cañizares, like Dudek and Courtois, represented Real Madrid but is probably better known for his 300+ game stint for Valencia in La Liga. The Spanish stopper won the league for both teams and was a multiple Champions League lifter for Real, among many other honours.

He’d go on to sample rally cars, winning the Rally de la Ceramica in 2017. He also had an outing in the Euro NASCAR series, where he finished 17th overall.

Sergio Aguero

La Liga winner, Premier League winner and many, many other honours. Sergio Aguero is an all time great. His career was sadly curtailed by a heart issue, but that has stopped him pursuing another passion.

Like Courtois, Aguero showed his online racing ability during and after the pandemic and has maintained an interest. When Formula E announced the Evo Sessions event, Aguero jumped in the Porsche car and was shown the ropes by then champion Pascal Wehrlein. Not a bad teacher, and apparently his lap times were up to some decent scratch.

Max Kruse

Former German international striker Max Kruse has made a tremendous career for himself, representing multiple Bundesliga teams and his country before retiring in 2023.

He also happens to run a team; Max Kruse Racing. The team runs Nürburgring 24h, GT3 and NLS campaigns, with Volkswagen cars and Porsche’s in their roster. Maybe Kruse was the inspiration for Courtois!

📸 Image credits: TC Racing, Sky Sports, 24h du Mans, Liverpool FC, Marca, ABB FIA Formula E, Max Kruse Racing.