The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) is close to appointing Dutch manager Mark van Bommel as the new head coach of the Belgium national team, replacing Frenchman Rudi Garcia, who stepped down following the Red Devils’ campaign at the 2026 World Cup.
According to Belgian outlet Het Nieuwsblad, both parties have agreed on a contract running through UEFA Euro 2028, with only final details remaining before the 49-year-old manager is officially announced.
Van Bommel began his senior managerial career at PSV Eindhoven in 2018, leading the club to a runner-up finish in the Eredivisie during his debut season before being dismissed in December 2019 due to a slump in results.
He had a brief stint with Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg in 2021, starting with four consecutive victories that put them atop the table, but parted ways with the club after an eight-match winless streak across all competitions.
The former midfielder enjoyed his most successful managerial spell at Royal Antwerp, steering the Belgian club to a historic domestic Double (Jupiler Pro League and Belgian Cup) in the 2022–23 season. He subsequently lifted the Belgian Super Cup and qualified the team for the UEFA Champions League group stage before departing in the summer of 2024.
Notably, Van Bommel was previously shortlisted for the manager position at Egyptian giants Al Ahly, who made inquiries about his availability before ultimately deciding to hire Moroccan coach Houcine Ammouta on a two-year deal.
As a player, Van Bommel had a illustrious career as a midfielder, featuring for Fortuna Sittard, PSV, FC Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and AC Milan. He won the UEFA Champions League with Barcelona in 2006, along with domestic league titles in the Netherlands, Spain, Germany, and Italy.
On the international stage, he earned 79 caps for the Netherlands national team, scoring 10 goals. He played in the 2006 and 2010 World Cups—serving as a key figure in the Dutch squad that reached the 2010 World Cup final in South Africa before losing to Spain—and retired from international football following Euro 2012.
