Mark van Bommel praises a player and flags Belgium's shortcomings
The Belgian coach Mark van Bommel commented on the Red Devils' victory over Italy in Rome, expressing his satisfaction while noting a “lot of things to improve”. He emphasized that the performance will remain etched in memory despite the identified shortcomings.
Analysis of the Belgian performance
Mark van Bommel was obviously a happy coach after the success. He said that, even though Italy is not what it used to be, the victory would remain memorable. According to him, the play was good but far from perfect, hence his rating of one hundred percent for the win but less for the overall performance.
Injuries and upcoming challenges
When asked “How satisfied are you, in percent?”, he replied “One hundred percent for the victory, but I wouldn’t say one hundred percent for the play”. He reminded that Mbappé was injured for the next three matches, and that Trossard and Penders would not be ready on Monday.
The previous Monday, Van Bommel emphasized mentality and intensity, seeking to clarify the playing system. He admitted that the control was not top‑notch, but that the style of play was good and the team had created several chances. In the second half, the Red Devils were well positioned but lost the pressure.
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On the counter‑attack, Lukebakio scored a very nice goal, while Senne Lammens made a huge save. Van Bommel mentioned the goals of Godts and the assist from his son Ruben against Germany, ranking all three in first place in his view.
Regarding Mika Godts, the coach indicated that if he misses six actions, he must make a seventh, but he should not always look for the action, reminding that the youngster is still developing. He also highlighted that Kevin De Bruyne was better than at the World Cup, but that this merit belonged to himself.
For Van Bommel, Kevin remains the best player in Belgian football history, stating that “he remains the best of all time”. He concluded that, despite the setbacks, Belgium has other great players capable of covering the absences.
Godts in starting XI, Lammens shines in Rome under Mark van Bommel
Yves Taildeman, special correspondent in Rome, relayed the statements of the national coach, noting that “our national coach was very happy but also saw a lot of things to improve”. The article, published under the Sports Football section, reflects the cautious optimism of the Belgian staff.