Chelsea's Thibaut Courtois Talks Premier League Run-In, Success, Volleyball

At the age of just 22, Chelsea's Thibaut Courtois is already being lauded as one of the world's finest goalkeepers.

But what is behind his success?

Some players will talk about the hours they spent kicking a football against their garden wall, or even the time playing with friends in the street when the pressure was off and they were free to develop their jinking skills.

For Courtois, it was playing volleyball! He explained in the current edition of Chelsea magazine:

"

I’m raised in a volleyball family, where tall players also have to dive quickly, so I think there is something genetic. 

I have good reflexes and I am still quick for my height, so that’s why I can reach those balls which maybe look impossible for a tall guy to get on the floor. I can save them because I’m quick and tall, so I have both things. I’m sure that playing volleyball when I was younger helped me.

"

Chelsea FC

It's not just his sporting ability where Courtois' parents have been influential, either.

The young goalkeeper has enjoyed so much success in his short career that he would be forgiven for feeling his megastar status allowed him to have a stereotypical megastar attitude.

It's quite the opposite. Courtois is a humble character, a player who appreciates where he is in his career and respects those around him, whether they be his team-mates or Chelsea fans.

He maintains a strong relationship with Petr Cech, despite the pair battling for supremacy this season and whenever the latter has featured in his place, Courtois has always supported him.

"My parents influenced me a lot in the beginning because they are both sporting people. They always told me I have to keep my feet on the ground and be humble because when you are young and talented sometimes you can already act like a big star and people don’t like that," he explained.

Matt Dunham/Associated Press

What people do like, Chelsea fans especially, is watching their team win trophies and Courtois is focused on claiming a first Premier League title with the Blues.

Chelsea currently sit seven points clear at the top of the table, with a game in hand over Manchester United and Arsenal.

They face United this weekend and victory in that game will take Jose Mourinho's side another step closer to their first Premier League crown since 2010.

The maths tell us it's just four more wins from the remaining seven games Chelsea need, although Courtois isn't taking anything for granted.

"It’s just finals now until the end of the season. So, if we want to be champions, we have to approach it like that," he said.

"We cannot think there are easy games we will win like that or that there’s only maybe four or five big games left. We have just big games—important ones—and I think we have to see it like that."

Scott Heppell/Associated Press

Courtois has a trophy cabinet most players would envy. Since becoming part of the Genk first-team in 2009, he has won a trophy every season of his career, including the Spanish league title with Atletico Madrid in 2014.

Had it not been for Sergio Ramos' last-minute equaliser in the last season's final, he would have also won the Champions League, too.

Courtois has continued collecting winners' medals with Chelsea this term, lifting the Capital One Cup trophy at Wembley last month.

He wants more, though. Much more.

"Every year I’ve won one trophy, so it’s nice we won the one at Wembley. But, of course, the Premier League would be much bigger," he continued.

"Both trophies would, of course, be better than one, so hopefully we can add the league this season."

More performances like the one at QPR last weekend, when Courtois made a string of crucial saves before Cesc Fabregas' winner, and Courtois will get his wish.

*This month's Chelsea magazine is available to download on your tablet now from www.chelseafc.com

Garry Hayes is Bleacher Report's lead Chelsea correspondent. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @garryhayes