Belgium triumphs in Italy, Van Bommel opens the scoring
On September 22, Belgium dominated Italy at the Stadio Olimpico, giving Mark van Bommel a first dazzling success at the helm of the Red Devils in football. The Blues, coming out of the 2026 World Cup, imposed a fluid style that delighted the supporters present.
Praise in the Dutch-language press
The Dutch-language dailies praised the performance as early as Saturday morning. Het Laatste Nieuws headlined "Dream debut for Van Bommel", while describing the performance as "an excellent start". It added that "his first 45 minutes as manager of the Red Devils were pure pleasure to watch", promising good things to come. The same newspaper emphasized that the first half was "perfect" and that the Red Devils "literally crushed the Italians".
Reservations of the French-language media
By contrast, the French-language press adopted a more measured tone. DH/Les Sports + wrote that "we no longer know how much we should trust the cheerful arrival of a manager at the Red Devils", recalling the failures of Domenico Tedesco and Rudi Garcia. Sudinfo noted that, despite the joy of the 0‑2, "the Squadra Azzurra finds itself more than ever in the ditch after having missed three consecutive World Cups". These comments reflect caution in the face of the first victory.
Key figures on the pitch
Several Belgian players were highlighted, notably goalkeeper Thomas Lammens for his two decisive saves. Kevin De Bruyne delivered his best match in two years, while Charles De Ketelaere confirmed his role as the number one in attack. But it was the 21‑year‑old youngster Mika Godts who captured the journalists, scoring his first goal and receiving the praise: "Mamma mia, Mika", and who sees himself taking over the number 10 from the injured Leandro Trossard. His “fast, decisive” style was described as “all‑powerful” against Italy.
Mika Godts shines, the Red Devils dominate Italy in the first half
The match took place in a stadium under extensive reconstruction, with Italy fielding a team in a rebuilding phase. Belgium, on the rise after the 2026 World Cup, showed that the future was already present by clearly dominating its opponents. The 800 Belgian supporters present experienced the match live, savoring the result while not losing sight of the challenges ahead.
Van Bommel, aware of the expectations, emphasized that each match would remain a test for his squad. Belgian analysts stress that consistency will have to be proven over the next engagements. Thus, the first victory, however brilliant, does not guarantee an untroubled trajectory.
Mark van Bommel celebrates Italy's win while praising De Bruyne
The upcoming fixtures, notably the European qualifiers, will provide the chance to gauge the solidity of the new project. If the Belgian media remain cautious, the enthusiasm generated by this triumph in Italy could become the engine of a successful campaign.