Marc Van Bommel returns to the Olimpico with Belgium, but the former Milan midfielder arrives in Rome carrying a different responsibility: rebuilding an international side for the road to the 2030 World Cup.
Belgium have appointed Van Bommel as Rudi Garcia’s successor after a wide-ranging selection process, despite the Dutchman having been out of coaching for two years. His agreement runs for two years, with an option for a further two, and places him back among the leading names on the international bench.
Quick facts
- Van Bommel has taken charge of Belgium on a two-year contract, plus a possible two-year extension.
- His principal task is to lower the average age of the squad and prepare for the 2030 World Cup.
- He previously won both the Belgian league and cup with Antwerp in the same season.
- Belgium begin their Nations League campaign against Italy in Rome.
- Romelu Lukaku may start on the bench, while Thibaut Courtois has been left out for this Nations League window.
The pause in Van Bommel’s career followed both personal and professional considerations. His son suffered a knee injury and the coach chose to remain close to his family; he also turned down approaches, including offers from Italy, when they arrived during a season.
His Antwerp spell remains the strongest recent marker of his work in Belgium. The Dutch coach led the club to a league-and-cup double, building enough of a reputation to make the national-team call a significant return rather than a simple surprise appointment.
Rome also stirs memories from his own Serie A years. Van Bommel played for Milan from 2010 to 2012 and won the Scudetto, clinched at the Olimpico. “This stadium takes me back to a wonderful evening,” he said. “Milan still has a special place in my heart. It is not the same as coming back to Milan, of course, but that night here was truly special.”
A new Belgium, with a familiar core
Van Bommel sees the current assignment as a process rather than an instant overhaul. He wants Belgium to play with possession and personality, but accepts that the players will need time to absorb those ideas.
“Preparing a match like this in four days is difficult,” he said. “You do not know exactly what to expect from the opponent, and that applies to both teams. Results matter now, obviously, but it is also important that we grow as a group and as a team.”
He compared the scale of the project to Roberto Mancini’s Italy, where a clear footballing identity had to be developed over time. Belgium will not discard the group that performed well at the World Cup in America, where they were narrowly eliminated by eventual champions Spain.
“The starting point is good,” Van Bommel said. “The squad is not going to be very different from the one that did well at the World Cup, though we will add something.”
Italy, he noted, have not qualified for a World Cup since 2014, but he dismissed that record as irrelevant to the present meeting. “Everybody starts again from zero. Italy are a strong team, and we are pleased that our Nations League begins with such a major match.”
Selection questions at the Olimpico
Lukaku’s familiarity with the stadium, after his time at Roma, does not guarantee him a place from the first minute. Van Bommel is considering Charles De Ketelaere as a false nine while Lukaku works towards his best physical condition.
“His experience and all his goals are not enough on their own to make him an automatic starter,” Van Bommel explained. “At Fenerbahce, Romelu has often come on from the bench because he needs to reach top fitness. I am not concerned about him; he will soon be very useful.”
The Belgium coach also highlighted Diego Moreira’s start at Milan. He believes the move to Italy has helped the young player, who can cover several roles and has the temperament to develop if he receives regular football.
Van Bommel remains equally confident in Loïs Openda despite the forward’s disappointing spell at Juventus. “I do not know why it went so badly at Juve; they should be asked that as well,” he said. “At Lyon he is doing very well, he deserves his call-up and I trust him.”
Courtois, meanwhile, will not feature in this Nations League round. Van Bommel visited the goalkeeper in Madrid and the pair agreed that he should sit out these fixtures, with the next step to be assessed later.
For Belgium, the night in Rome is therefore more than an opening match. It is the first public measure of a new coach’s authority, with an established core still in place and a younger generation expected to move closer to the centre of the project.
