Belgium's new national football coach, Mark van Bommel, confirmed on August 7, 2026, that he accepted the position without hesitation despite the possibility of eventually coaching his native Netherlands, who remain without a coach after the recent World Cup.

In his first press conference since his appointment late last month, Van Bommel said he eagerly took the offer to replace Rudi Garcia, whose contract was not renewed following Belgium's quarter-final exit at the World Cup last month. Van Bommel, a former defender who played for Barcelona, Bayern Munich, AC Milan, and the Dutch national team in the 2010 World Cup final, emphasized that he did not consider waiting for the Dutch national team job.

"Did I want to wait for the Dutch national team? No, not at all. I didn't even think about that," Van Bommel stated. He described coaching a national team as one of the best jobs, highlighting the privilege of working with the best players in a country and noting that there are few truly top national teams.

Van Bommel also reflected on his coaching journey, saying, "In the past two years, I have had many offers, but none that I was convinced of. Things have moved very quickly here. Coaching a country, and certainly Belgium, is an honour. Every coach wants to do this."

Belgium will begin their campaign under Van Bommel in the Nations League, with his debut match scheduled against Italy in Rome on September 25, 2026. This will be followed by two matches against Turkey and one against France during the September-October international window.

When asked about persuading goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to continue playing for the national team after Courtois expressed a desire for a break post-World Cup, Van Bommel responded cautiously, "That wouldn't be right if you have only spoken to each other once."

Van Bommel also acknowledged the competitive ambition in football, stating, "As a footballer and a coach, you always want to win," and commented on the Dutch team's aspirations: "In the Netherlands, they often say: 'We are going to be world champions'. However, there are quite a few factors involved."

Sources