Mark van Bommel's Belgian Squad for Nations League: Serie A Influence

Mark van Bommel has wasted no time putting his stamp on Belgium. For his first squad in charge of the Red Devils, the former Milan midfielder has named a group heavy with Italian-based talent for a brutal Nations League campaign that opens away to Italy.

Belgium have landed in a ferocious Group A alongside Italy, France and Turkiye – a section with no margin for error and no space for a gentle debut. Van Bommel’s reign begins in Italy on September 25, followed by a home clash with France just three days later on September 28. Turkiye visit on October 2, then comes a daunting trip to France on October 5. The group wraps up in Turkiye on November 12 and finishes with a home meeting against Italy on November 15.

For Van Bommel, who wore the Milan shirt in the 2011-12 season and replaced Rudi Garcia this summer, the return to Italy carries an extra edge. He walks back into Serie A territory not as a combative midfielder, but as the man tasked with reshaping a national team that has already moved past its “golden generation” label.

And he is leaning firmly on the league he once called home.

Six Serie A players make the cut: Milan defender Koni De Winter, Bologna’s new signing Arthur Theate, Napoli’s marquee midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, Parma’s Mandela Keita, Atalanta forward Charles De Ketelaere and Milan winger Diego Moreira. They form a spine that runs through the pitch, from the back line to the final third, and they will carry a big share of the responsibility when Belgium walk out in Italy.

There is continuity too. Romelu Lukaku and Lois Openda may have left Serie A only weeks ago, but they remain central to Belgium’s attacking plans, now arriving from Fenerbahce and Lyon respectively. Their familiarity with Italian defences and rhythms of calcio is an added weapon for Van Bommel as he plots that opening night.

The squad shows a clear blend: established names, Premier League and European club regulars, and a wave of younger talent being pushed into the spotlight.

Between the posts, Van Bommel has gone with Jari De Busser (AZ Alkmaar), Senne Lammens (Manchester United), Mike Penders (Chelsea) and Maarten Vandervoordt (RB Leipzig). It is a group drawn from four different leagues, all used to high-tempo football and modern demands on goalkeepers.

In defence, Timothy Castagne (Fulham) and Maxime De Cuyper (Brighton) bring Premier League experience, while Zeno Debast (Sporting) continues his rise from Belgium to Portugal’s top flight. De Winter (Milan) and Theate (Bologna) are joined by Brandon Mechele, Kyriani Sabbe and Joaquin Seys from Club Brugge, plus Nathan Ngoy (LOSC). It is a unit with clear club connections and a strong Brugge block that should help with cohesion in a short international window.

Midfield carries both star power and balance. De Bruyne (Napoli) is the obvious headline name, now anchoring the centre from southern Italy. Alongside him, Mandela Keita (Parma), Romeo Lavia (Chelsea), Nicolas Raskin (Rangers), Youri Tielemans (Manchester United) and Hans Vanaken (Club Brugge) give Van Bommel a mix of control, running power and set-piece threat. On paper, it is an area of the pitch where Belgium can go toe-to-toe with anyone in this group.

Up front, the options are varied and dangerous. De Ketelaere (Atalanta) comes in off a strong spell in Bergamo, while Malick Fofana (Sunderland), Matias Fernandez-Pardo (Newcastle United) and Mika Godts (PSG) add youthful energy and unpredictability. Lukaku (Fenerbahce) and Dodi Lukebakio (Benfica) offer experience and goals, with Moreira (Milan), Openda (Lyon) and Leandro Trossard (Bestikas) rounding out an attack that can stretch defences in different ways.

This is Van Bommel’s first real statement as Belgium coach. A squad built for intensity, with a clear Serie A thread running through it, thrown straight into a Nations League schedule that offers no hiding place.

The fixtures will reveal plenty, and quickly, about whether this new-look Belgium can live with Europe’s elite or whether a deeper rebuild still lies ahead.