The Belgian Football Association (RBFA) has appointed former Bayern Munich midfielder Mark van Bommel as the new head coach of the Red Devils.
Belgium were seeking a new face in the dugout following the departure of Rudi Garcia after the World Cup. Van Bommel has now been officially appointed as the new head coach on a two-year contract running through to Euro 2028.
The 49-year-old Dutchman brings in former Chelsea and Liverpool winger Boudewijn Zenden as part of his technical team.
Confirming the appointment on their official website, the Belgian FA stated: “The Royal Belgian Football Association is pleased to announce that Mark van Bommel (49 years old) will become the new head coach of the Red Devils from 15 August 2026.”
Mark van Bommel looks a UEFA Champions League match. (Photo by GSI/Icon Sport via Getty Images)
RBFA sports director Vincent Mannaert warmly welcomed the arrival of the tactician and his backroom staff, stating: “I am very pleased that Mark van Bommel and his assistants have accepted our challenge.
“They are hungry and ambitious, and I am convinced that, thanks to their international experience as coach and player, they will be able to perfectly help our Red Devils to continue growing, achieve results, and fully utilise their potential on an individual and collective level.”
Meanwhile, Van Bommel expressed his pride at being entrusted with the Belgian national job, saying: “It is a great honour to become the national coach of Belgium. I would like to thank the Royal Belgian Football Association for the trust they have placed in me.
Mark van Bommel looks on during the Beckenbauer Cup 2025 at SAP Garden. (1945 – 2024). (Photo by Sebastian Widmann/Getty Images)
“Belgium has outstanding players and enormous potential. Together with my technical 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 dedication are. We will give everything to help this team improve every day and make the Belgian people proud. I look forward to meeting the players, the staff, and the supporters and starting this new chapter together.”
Van Bommel boasts an impressive track record in club management, most notably making history by leading Royal Antwerp to a domestic league and cup double in the 2022-23 season.
As a player, he enjoyed successful spells at PSV, Barcelona, Bayern and AC Milan. He will now lead Belgium’s next generation.
Van Bommel will officially assume his duties next month before guiding the team through their upcoming UEFA Nations League campaign.
