Mark van Bommel's First Belgium Squad: A Tough Start in Nations League

Mark van Bommel has wasted no time putting his stamp on Belgium.

The new Red Devils coach, a former Milan midfielder with Serie A steel in his boots, has named his first squad for a brutal Nations League group that throws Belgium straight in with Italy, France and Turkiye. No easing in. No soft landings.

They open away to Italy on September 25, Van Bommel’s debut in the dugout coming in one of European football’s most unforgiving arenas. Three days later, France arrive in Belgium on September 28. Turkiye follow on October 2, then another clash with France in their backyard on October 5. The group closes with a trip to Turkiye on November 12 and a home showdown against Italy on November 15.

It’s a schedule that will define the early days of Van Bommel’s reign. His squad list shows he knows it.

Serie A spine for a Serie A man

Van Bommel has leaned heavily on a league he knows intimately. The Dutchman spent the 2011-12 season in Milan colours, and his first Belgium selection reflects a clear trust in Serie A’s competitive edge.

Milan defender Koni De Winter gets the nod, a signal that the new coach is ready to promote emerging defensive talent on a big stage. Bologna’s recent signing Arthur Theate returns to the fold, adding left-footed balance and aggression at the back.

In midfield, Kevin De Bruyne’s move to Napoli has not changed his status: he remains the reference point, the player around whom Belgium’s attacks will orbit. Parma’s Mandela Keita joins him, another Italian-based name who brings legs and bite in the centre of the pitch.

Up front, Atalanta’s Charles De Ketelaere is rewarded after rebuilding his confidence in Bergamo, while Milan winger Diego Moreira offers directness and unpredictability out wide. For a coach who built his playing career on intensity and tactical discipline, these Serie A picks look anything but accidental.

Old guard, new addresses

Some of the names are as familiar as they come, even if their club shirts have changed.

Romelu Lukaku, now at Fenerbahce, remains the focal point in attack, the reference for crosses, counters and chaos in the box. Lois Openda, recently moved to Lyon, gives Belgium a completely different threat: pace in behind, constant movement, and the ability to stretch even the most organised defences.

Leandro Trossard is listed with Bestikas, adding another creative, technically gifted option in the final third. Dodi Lukebakio (Benfica) and Mika Godts (PSG) deepen the attacking pool, giving Van Bommel the freedom to adjust his front line depending on the opponent.

Behind them, Youri Tielemans at Manchester United and Romeo Lavia at Chelsea offer contrasting midfield profiles: Tielemans with his passing range and composure, Lavia with his press resistance and defensive awareness. Hans Vanaken, the Club Brugge mainstay, brings continuity and leadership from the domestic scene.

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)

Youth, experience, domestic pillars and European heavyweights: Van Bommel has blended them all, then thrown them straight into a group that offers no hiding place.

His ideas will be tested in Milan on September 25. By the time Italy visit Belgium on November 15, we’ll know whether this new-look Red Devils side is ready to fight at the very top again or still searching for its next true identity.