Belgium name Van Bommel as new coach

BRUSSELS, July 24 : Belgium have named former Netherlands international Mark van Bommel as their new coach on a two-year contract until the 2028 European Championship, the Belgian football association said on Friday.

The 49-year-old succeeds Rudi Garcia, whose contract, which runs out at the end of July, was not renewed despite Belgium reaching the World Cup quarter-final earlier this month.

In Belgium, Van Bommel is best known for his spell at Antwerp, where he guided the club to a historic league and cup double in 2022-23, and is highly regarded for his tactical expertise - an area in which Garcia had been criticised - as well as for his man-management skills.

“It is a great honour to become head coach of Belgium,” said Van Bommel in a statement released by the association.

“I would like to thank the Royal Belgian Football Association for their confidence in me. Belgium has outstanding players and enormous potential. Together with my coaching staff, we want to build a team that is disciplined, ambitious and brave enough to compete with the very best.

"Success is never guaranteed, but hard work, honesty and commitment are. We will give everything to help this team improve every day and make the Belgian people proud. I am looking forward to meeting the players, the staff and the supporters, and beginning this new chapter together,” Van Bommel added.

He has also coached at PSV Eindhoven and VfL Wolfsburg. In his playing career, Van Bommel won 79 caps for the Dutch, playing in the 2010 World Cup final, and was on the books at Barcelona, Bayern Munich, AC Milan and PSV Eindhoven.

VAN BOMMEL HAD BEEN WAITING FOR MAJOR 'PROJECT'

The Belgian Football Association wasted little time in appointing a successor to Garcia, with Van Bommel