Mark van Bommel backs Belgium's youth in Rome at Nations League

This Friday evening, the Stadio Olimpico in Rome hosts the first Nations League match where Mark van Bommel, at the helm of the Red Devils, officially begins his tenure, marking the transition from the golden generation to a new era of Belgian young talents.

A generational transition

Mark van Bommel, now coach of the Red Devils, sees his tenure start this Friday evening at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. He inherits a golden generation where Kevin De Bruyne, aged thirty‑five, and Romelu Lukaku, thirty‑three, are the last survivors of Brazil 2014. Meanwhile, Axel Witsel has left the group, Thomas Meunier has been dropped and Thibaut Courtois has missed his turn, risking being permanently excluded from the game. The text comes from Sports Football, Red Devils section.

“It is now up to the younger players to take their responsibilities,” former captain Kevin De Bruyne told Tubize on Tuesday. He added that, even if he could start at the Stadio Olimpico, he would position himself away from the heart of the Belgian team. This statement highlights the imminent end of reliance on Lukaku’s passes and goals.

The Nations League laboratory

The Nations League, which opens in Rome, is presented as a laboratory where the Red Devils face Italy and France, two nations also beginning a new cycle. Christophe Franken, special correspondent in Rome and Head of the football section, covers the matches from the Roman tarmac where Youri Tielemans was waiting for the teams’ arrival. Rome, where Julius Caesar was assassinated by his spiritual son Brutus, reminds that the golden generation must fade before its children. The city of Rom, often confused with Rome, serves as the backdrop for these decisive duels.

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But the entry slope is steep, and Van Bommel’s credibility with the supporters may already be wavering. The public still remembers the July World Cup quarter‑final, while the results expected in Rome, Brussels, Liège and Paris over eleven days will be scrutinized. The main objective of the new manager remains Euro 2028, with the Nations League being only a preparatory stage.

The pool of young talents

If we consider only players under twenty‑five, Belgium has goalkeepers such as Lammens and Penders, promising defenders like Debast, Ngoy, De Winter, Seys and Sabbe. High‑potential midfielders include Lavia, Onana, Raskin, Keita and De Caat, while supersonic wingers are Doku, Godts, Fofana and Moreira. In attack, De Ketelaere and Fernandez‑Pardo complete a rare group, and teenagers like Brughmans, Mbavu, Bisiwu, Fernandez, Nga Kana, Ojea and Furo are already earmarked for 2030.

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Thus, the Belgian youth must convince and forgive the inevitable mistakes, without sinking into bitterness. The potential of this team, already qualified for Euro 2028, could even carry Belgium to the World Cup 2030.