Mark van Bommel named new Belgium head coach on deal to Euro 2028

Mark van Bommel has been appointed head coach of Belgium on a contract running until the end of Euro 2028, the Royal Belgian Football Association has announced.

The Dutchman will officially take charge of the Red Devils from 15 August and succeeds Spaniard Rudi Garcia, whose tenure with the national team has come to an end.

Van Bommel, 49, arrives with significant coaching experience in European club football, having previously managed PSV Eindhoven in the Netherlands, Wolfsburg in Germany and Royal Antwerp in Belgium. His most notable success came at Antwerp, where he delivered a historic domestic double by winning both the league title and the Belgian Cup in the 2022-23 season.

Van Bommel sets out ambitions

Speaking to the Royal Belgian Football Association after his appointment, Van Bommel said: “انه لشرف كبير ان اصبح مدربا لمنتخب بلجيكا، اود ان اشكر الاتحاد البلجيكي لكرة القدم على الثقة التي منحني اياها”.

The former midfielder outlined his view of the current squad and his approach to the role, adding: “بلجيكا تمتلك لاعبين مميزين وامكانيات هايلة، مع الجهاز الفني، نريد بناء فريق يتميز بالانضباط والطموح والشجاعة، ويكون قادرا على منافسة افضل المنتخبات في العالم”.

He stressed the values he believes will underpin any progress under his leadership.

“النجاح لا يمكن ضمانه، لكن العمل الجاد والصدق والالتزام امور مضمونة، سنبذل كل ما لدينا لمساعدة هذا المنتخب على التطور يوما بعد يوم، واسعاد الشعب البلجيكي”.

Looking ahead to the start of his tenure, Van Bommel concluded: “اتطلع الى لقاء اللاعبين والجهاز الفني والجماهير، وبدء هذه المرحلة الجديدة معا”.

Backroom team confirmed

The Belgian federation also confirmed that Van Bommel will be supported by a three-man assistant coaching staff comprising Boudewijn Zenden, Maarten Martens and Reiner Robbemond.

Zenden, a former Netherlands international, brings extensive experience from a high-level playing career with PSV Eindhoven, Barcelona, Chelsea, Liverpool, Olympique de Marseille and Sunderland. After retiring, he moved into coaching and has previously worked as an assistant at Chelsea and with PSV’s youth teams.

Martens, who is Belgian, made his name as a player at AZ Alkmaar, where he won the Eredivisie title, before moving into coaching and establishing himself as one of the club’s most promising young managers.

Robbemond has built up substantial coaching experience in Dutch football. He has previously taken charge of Oss, De Graafschap and Willem II, and also worked alongside Van Bommel as an assistant at PSV Eindhoven.

Distinguished playing career

Before moving into management, Van Bommel enjoyed a highly decorated playing career at some of Europe’s leading clubs.

He represented PSV Eindhoven, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and AC Milan, winning domestic league titles in several countries and competing regularly in the Champions League.

On the international stage, Van Bommel earned 79 caps for the Netherlands and scored 10 goals. He was a key member of the Dutch side that reached the 2010 World Cup final in South Africa.

Van Bommel will now be tasked with guiding Belgium through the next phase of their development, with the clear objective of building a disciplined, ambitious and courageous team capable of challenging the world’s leading national sides heading into Euro 2028.