Dutch legend Mark van Bommel has officially taken over as head of Belgium, serving until 2028.

The Belgian Football Federation (RBFA) announced on Friday the official appointment of 48-year-old Dutch football legend Mark van Bommel as the national team coach. He will assume office on August 15 and serve until the end of the 2028 European Championship.

The official announcement also confirmed that the Belgian national team's coaching staff will welcome three new members: assistant coaches Bourdouin Zenden, Marten Martens, and Reinier Robbenmond.

Mark van Bommel had a brilliant playing career, winning one Champions League title, one La Liga title, one Spanish Super Cup title, two Bundesliga titles, two German Cup titles, one German League Cup title, one Serie A title, and one Italian Super Cup title with Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and AC Milan. After retiring, he coached PSV Eindhoven, VfL Wolfsburg, and Real Antwerp, leading Antwerp to one Belgian First Division title, one Belgian Cup, and one Belgian Super Cup.

However, Van Bommel has been unemployed since stepping down as Antwerp manager in June 2024. His appointment as manager of Belgium, replacing Rudi Garcia, marks his return to coaching after two years of inactivity.

Regarding Mark van Bommel's arrival, Belgian Football Association Sporting Director Vincent Mannault explained: "I am very pleased that Mark van Bommel and his assistants have accepted our challenge. They are ambitious and eager to win. I firmly believe that they will be able to use their international experience accumulated during their playing and coaching careers to help the Belgian national team continue to grow, achieve excellent results, and fully unleash the team's potential at both the individual and overall levels."

Van Bommel stated, “I am deeply honored to become the head coach of Belgium. I would like to thank the Belgian Football Federation for their trust in me. Belgium has many outstanding players and enormous potential. My coaching team and I will work together to build a disciplined, ambitious team that dares to challenge the world's top teams. Success will not come easily, but diligence, honesty, and dedication are our guarantees. We will do our utmost to help the team improve day by day and make the Belgian people proud of us. I look forward to meeting with the players, coaching staff, and fans to embark on a new journey together.”

Image source: Internet