Van Bommel comes close to a historic feat with a win in Italy

Mark van Bommel's first match in charge of the Red Devils ended with a 0‑2 victory in Italy, a performance that brushed past a historic feat. The “rejected” Walter Meeuws and Domenico Tedesco, however, achieved better results, reminding of the difficulty of the challenge.

Historical statistics of Belgian coaches

In the past fifty years, eight of the eighteen Belgian national team coaches have won their first match in football. Guy Thys and Georges Leekens each served two terms, highlighting the difficulty of a good start. These two coaches have therefore accumulated more experience than their peers.

Paradoxically, the most decorated coaches, Guy Thys and Roberto Martinez, began their tenure with a defeat. This trend shows that success does not always depend on the opening result. Their careers prove that the first loss did not prevent the capture of major titles.

The widest victories were achieved by the least prolific coaches: Walter Meeuws and Domenico Tedesco. Their successes underline the importance of the opponent's reputation when assessing debuts. These results remain reference points when comparing the starts of Belgian coaches.

Dick Advocaat, the only other Dutchman to have managed Belgium, also shone: he beat Turkey 2‑0 in a World Cup qualifier, during a period of crisis in Belgian football. In the realm of sports, this victory is cited as an example of performance under pressure.

Van Bommel's club career

At his clubs, his first match was a failure: a penalty shoot‑out loss in the Super Cup against Feyenoord with PSV, a forfeit against fourth‑division club Münster with Wolfsburg, and a 0‑0 draw against Kosovar side Drita with Antwerp. These early setbacks contrast with the positive momentum that followed under Van Bommel's leadership. They illustrate the coach's ability to bounce back quickly.

Curiously, he then put together winning streaks: seven consecutive wins at PSV, four at Wolfsburg and again seven at Antwerp, a club to which he delivered the title. These winning runs enabled Antwerp to clinch the national championship. The title was secured thanks to a series of solid league performances.

Yves Taildeman, an Anderlecht and Red Devils specialist, notes that Van Bommel got off to a good start, reminding that the first result is not enough to judge a career. This observation reinforces the idea that Van Bommel's initial success deserves recognition. It also reminds that assessments must take the historical context into account.