Mark van Bommel Unveils Belgium's Squad for Nations League
Mark van Bommel has wasted no time putting his stamp on Belgium.
The new Red Devils coach, appointed this summer to succeed Rudi Garcia, has unveiled his first squad for a brutal Nations League campaign that drops Belgium straight into a group with Italy, France and Turkiye. No easing in. No soft landings.
They begin away to Italy on September 25, Van Bommel’s debut in the dugout coming in a country he knows well. The former midfielder spent the 2011-12 season at Milan, and his first list leans heavily on Serie A – six players from the Italian top flight are in.
Serie A core for Van Bommel’s Belgium
Milan defender Koni De Winter gets the nod, joined by Bologna’s new signing Arthur Theate at the back. In midfield, Napoli’s marquee arrival Kevin De Bruyne provides the headline name, with Parma’s Mandela Keita adding fresh legs in the centre of the pitch.
Higher up, Atalanta forward Charles De Ketelaere is rewarded for his resurgence in Bergamo, while Milan winger Diego Moreira offers directness and flair out wide. For a coach with his own San Siro past, the Italian spine feels deliberate, not accidental.
There is continuity too. Romelu Lukaku, now at Fenerbahce after his latest move, remains the reference point up front, and Lois Openda, freshly installed at Lyon, returns as one of Europe’s most dangerous runners in behind. Both only left Serie A in recent weeks, but they keep their place in the national picture.
A brutal schedule, a clear test
Belgium’s Nations League path is unforgiving. After the opener in Italy on September 25, they host France three days later on September 28. Turkiye arrive on October 2, before a trip to France on October 5 ramps the difficulty back up.
The group then closes with two potentially decisive fixtures in November: away to Turkiye on November 12 and at home to Italy on November 15. By then, Van Bommel will know exactly where this new cycle stands.
The full squad
- Goalkeepers: Jari De Busser (AZ Alkmaar), Senne Lammens (Manchester United), Mike Penders (Chelsea), Maarten Vandervoordt (RB Leipzig)
- Defenders: Timothy Castagne (Fulham), Maxime De Cuyper (Brighton), Zeno Debast (Sporting), Koni De Winter (Milan), Brandon Mechele (Club Brugge), Nathan Ngoy (LOSC), Kyriani Sabbe (Club Brugge), Joaquin Seys (Club Brugge), Arthur Theate (Bologna)
- Midfielders: Kevin De Bruyne (Napoli), Mandela Keita (Parma), Romeo Lavia (Chelsea), Nicolas Raskin (Rangers), Youri Tielemans (Manchester United), Hans Vanaken (Club Brugge)
- Forwards: Charles De Ketelaere (Atalanta), Malick Fofana (Sunderland), Matias Fernandez-Pardo (Newcastle United), Mika Godts (PSG), Romelu Lukaku (Fenerbahce), Dodi Lukebakio (Benfica), Diego Moreira (Milan), Lois Openda (Lyon), Leandro Trossard (Bestikas)
A new coach, a reshaped core, and a group that offers no room to hide. Van Bommel’s Belgium will be judged quickly.
