The New Belgium Boss: Garcia’s Vision for Hazard and Courtois

Roberto Martinez’s successor has been named, and it’s none other than Rudi Garcia. The Belgian football association has appointed the Frenchman as their new boss, choosing him over competitors like Thierry Henry, Julen Lopetegui, and Mark van Bommel. This announcement came earlier in the day, marking an exciting new chapter for Belgian football.

At 60 years old, Garcia brings a wealth of experience to the table. He has previously coached notable clubs like Napoli, Lyon, and Roma, and his task now is to convince Thibaut Courtois to return to the national team. Courtois, who is considered by Garcia as the best goalkeeper in the world, had self-exiled himself due to differences with former coach Domenico Tedesco.

Garcia, addressing the media during his unveiling, expressed his confidence in Courtois’ quality and shared his optimism about initial positive signals from the goalkeeper. While Matz Sels and Koen Casteels are capable options, getting Courtois back would be a massive boost for the Red Devils.

The new coach has his work cut out for him as he takes on the challenge of reinvigorating the Belgian team. Their recent performance at Euro 2024 and in the Nations League fell short of expectations, leading to the departure of Tedesco. Garcia’s contract will take him through to the end of the 2026 World Cup, giving him time to implement his vision.

Belgium’s recent last-16 exit from the European Championship prompted the sacking of Tedesco, and now the team faces a relegation playoff against Ukraine in March. It’s a crucial moment for Belgian football, and Garcia’s expertise is much-needed.

Inclusion of Eden Hazard

One of Garcia’s notable plans is to bring Eden Hazard into the fold. Hazard, a key member of Belgium’s “golden generation,” had retired from international football. However, Garcia intends to offer him an unspecified role, having previously won the French Ligue 1 title together at Lille in 2011.

When questioned about Hazard’s role, Garcia remained coy, stating that Hazard knows him and the players very well. He believes Hazard will be a valuable link during this 18-month journey, which includes the road to the 2026 World Cup.

Garcia’s most recent managerial stint at Napoli in 2023 was less successful, as the club endured a difficult season following their Serie A title win. However, he is determined to bring Belgium back to the top, acknowledging the loss of important players but emphasizing the enormous potential within the squad.

Belgium has a talented mix of experienced stars like Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku, as well as promising youngsters like Romeo Lavia, Jeremy Doku, and Amadou Onana. Garcia intends to visit them soon to watch them play for their respective clubs, Manchester City and Napoli.

With consecutive major tournament quarter-final appearances between 2014 and 2021, Belgium had established themselves as a force to be reckoned with. They even ranked as the world’s number one team for over three years. Now, sitting at eighth place in the FIFA rankings, Garcia aims to restore them to their former glory.

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