Real Madrid and Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is making a splash in the E1 electric powerboat championship, becoming the latest sports star to co-own a team in the Saudi-backed series.

The 33-year-old, co-founder of sports investment platform NXTPLAY Capital, will partner with Sierra Racing Club's Team Sierra.

He joins an impressive list of team owners, including tennis legend Rafael Nadal, NBA star LeBron James, seven-time NFL Super Bowl champion Tom Brady and actor Will Smith.

The series races globally, with venues spanning Italy's Lake Como, Monaco, Luanda, Miami and the Bahamas.

Courtois stated: "Sierra Racing Club represents exactly the profile NXTPLAY looks for in a sports asset. A team with a strong identity, technical ambition, and real potential to become one of the reference names in the championship."

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Courtois’ announcement comes at a time when he is currently sidelined due to a leg injury sustained last month.

The Belgian shot-stopper was ruled out for several weeks with a quadriceps muscle injury, and looks set to miss a number of crucial games for Real Madrid.

The Spanish giants are set to return to La Liga action on Saturday when they travel to Mallorca.

Alvaro Arbeloa’s team are currently four points behind Barcelona in the title race with nine games remaining.

Following this weekend’s game, Real Madrid’s attention will then turn to the Champions League.

They will host Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich in the first leg of their quarter-final clash next Tuesday before the return leg at the Allianz Arena on April 15.

Real Madrid saw off Manchester City in the round of 16, securing a 5-1 aggregate victory, while Bayern Munich thrashed Italian side Atalanta 10-2 on aggregate to progress to the final eight.

The two teams also met in the Champions League in 2024 at the semi-final stage, with Real Madrid picking up a narrow victory before going on to beat Borussia Dortmund in the final.

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