Caroline Lijnen is a Belgian woman who became publicly known as the ex-girlfriend of footballer Kevin De Bruyne. Their relationship ended in 2013 following a scandal involving Belgium teammate Thibaut Courtois. Since then, Lijnen has kept a very low profile. Here is everything that is publicly known about her.
Source: UGC
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Caroline Lijnen dated Kevin De Bruyne for approximately three years, from around 2010 to 2013.
- De Bruyne reportedly cheated on Lijnen with her best friend in 2012, destabilising the relationship.
- Lijnen later entered a relationship with Thibaut Courtois, which she confirmed in a 2014 interview with Belgian magazine Story.
- Courtois married Israeli model Mishel Gerzig in 2023; Lijnen has remained out of the public eye.
- De Bruyne married Michèle Lacroix, has three children, and now plays for Napoli.
Caroline Lijnen's profile summary
Full name | Caroline Lijnen |
Date of birth | 1993 (exact date not publicly known) |
Age | Approximately 32–33 (as of 2026) |
Place of birth | Belgium |
Nationality | Belgian |
Profession | Former tennis player |
Education | Not publicly disclosed |
Relationship status | Not publicly known |
Children | None confirmed |
Parents | Not publicly disclosed |
Zodiac sign | Not publicly known |
Net worth | Not publicly known |
Caroline Lijnen is a Belgian woman born in 1993. She is not a public figure by profession. She became widely known through her relationship with Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, and later through her connection to goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
Caroline is a former tennis player. Any more reliable biographical detail about her education, career, or family is limited. No verified Instagram or other social media account has been identified for her.
Early life and background
Lijnen grew up in Belgium. Her parents' names are not publicly known. She has kept her personal background private throughout, and biographical detail is scarce in credible sources.
Caroline Lijnen and Kevin De Bruyne: the relationship
Caroline Lijnen and Kevin De Bruyne reportedly began dating around 2010. The relationship lasted approximately three years.
In the summer of 2012, De Bruyne admitted to Lijnen that he had had an affair with her best friend. Lijnen later told Belgian magazine Story that she gave him a choice.
In the summer of 2012, Kevin told me that he had an affair with my old best friend. I gave him the choice, her or me. I was ready to give him another chance.
Despite this, the couple remained together for a period. By 2013, the relationship had ended.
Source: Original
What happened between Caroline Lijnen and Courtois?
After separating from De Bruyne, Lijnen entered a relationship with Thibaut Courtois, De Bruyne's Belgium international teammate. Courtois was at the time on loan at Atlético Madrid from Chelsea.
Lijnen confirmed the relationship in her 2014 Story interview. She framed it as a consequence of De Bruyne's earlier betrayal. The story became one of the most discussed scandals in Belgian football.
De Bruyne addressed the situation in his book Keep It Simple. The football player wrote that he could not believe what Courtois had done, but that he had no right to prevent a fellow professional from representing the national team.
Are Courtois and Caroline Lijnen still together?
No. Courtois and Lijnen are no longer together. Both have since moved on. Courtois married Israeli model Mishel Gerzig in 2023. Lijnen has not publicly confirmed any relationship since the 2014 interview.
Did Kevin De Bruyne forgive Courtois?
De Bruyne and Courtois continued to share the Belgium dressing room for years after the scandal. In a 2025 episode of the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, Courtois described De Bruyne as "a guy with a lot of talent, but also very hardworking."
However, a full personal reconciliation has not been confirmed. During Belgium's 2026 World Cup campaign, the pair were observed not acknowledging each other publicly during celebrations, a detail noted by several journalists covering the squad.
Kevin De Bruyne stated in his autobiography Keep It Simple;
Although I still can't believe what Courtois did, we continue to work together professionally.
What happened to Kevin De Bruyne's ex-girlfriend?
Since 2014, Caroline Lijnen has maintained a very low profile. She has not given further public interviews. No verified Instagram account is associated with her name.
She is not known to be married or to have children. No reliable source has published information about her current career or personal life.
Kevin De Bruyne has since married Michèle Lacroix. The couple have four children, and De Bruyne now plays for Napoli.
Source: Getty Images
Latest news
In early 2025, social media posts on X recirculated the De Bruyne–Courtois–Lijnen story, describing it as one of football's most enduring love-triangle scandals. There were no new statements from Lijnen.
At the 2026 World Cup, the body language between De Bruyne and Courtois was widely noted by journalists. The professional football players did not exchange visible acknowledgements during squad celebrations, suggesting the personal rift has not fully healed.
Caroline Lijnen: net worth
Caroline Lijnen's net worth is not publicly known. She has not pursued a public-facing career, and no reliable source has published a verified figure. Any estimate found on celebrity-profile websites has not been corroborated and should be treated with scepticism.
FAQ
- Is Caroline Lijnen married? Caroline has not publicly confirmed a marriage. She is not known to be married as of 2026.
- Is Courtois still with Caroline Lijnen? No. Courtois and Lijnen separated after a brief relationship. Courtois married Mishel Gerzig in 2023.
- Does Caroline Lijnen have an Instagram? No verified Instagram account for Caroline Lijnen has been identified. She maintains a private life away from social media.
- How old is Caroline Lijnen? Lijnen was born in 1993. As of 2026, she is approximately 32 or 33 years old. Her exact birth date is not publicly known.
- Does Caroline Lijnen have children? No children have been confirmed. She has kept her personal life private since 2014.
- What happened between Caroline Lijnen and Courtois? After De Bruyne cheated with Lijnen's best friend in 2012, Lijnen and De Bruyne split in 2013. She subsequently entered a relationship with Courtois, which she confirmed in a 2014 Story Magazine interview.
- What happened to Kevin De Bruyne's ex-girlfriend? Lijnen has lived privately since the scandal. She has not given public interviews or confirmed any new relationship since 2014.
- Did Kevin De Bruyne forgive Courtois? De Bruyne maintained a professional working relationship with Courtois. He addressed the situation in his book Keep It Simple. A full personal reconciliation has not been confirmed publicly, and tension between the two was still visible at the 2026 World Cup.
The saga surrounding Caroline Lijnen remains one of football's most infamous off-pitch headlines. Though it briefly strained national team dynamics, all parties involved eventually built separate paths. Today, Lijnen maintains a private life far from media scrutiny. Meanwhile, De Bruyne and Courtois have focused purely on their celebrated sporting careers, letting time distance them from a decade-old controversy.
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