“I am very motivated,” Garcia said. “I have spoken with Vincent Mannaert several times since the beginning of December and was enthusiastic from the start. I’ve always followed the Devils. Belgium was the absolute world top. As far as I’m concerned, the so-called Golden Generation was capable of winning a major tournament. Things have been a little more difficult in recent months. Some guys have stopped, but the potential is still very high. I am convinced that we can get back to the absolute top and that we can achieve great results again. I’m going to need some time to get to know the team and the country, but I’m really looking forward to it and I’m going to put all my energy into it. I want to bring positivity. We want to win every match, ensure retention in the Nations League and of course qualify for the 2026 World Cup. I hope everyone will pull together. We need the players but also all the fans. Unity is strength.”
Garcia was also in the picture as national coach of the Red Devils in 2016, succeeding Marc Wilmots at the time. The Belgian Football Association then chose Roberto Martinez. “I was a candidate here before,” Garcia smiled. “I then talked to the union, but it didn’t happen. Fate brings me here now. I have now built up more experience. National teams have always fascinated me. I always wanted to be the national coach of a major football country and that is definitely Belgium.”
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© Frank Abbeloos / Isosport
100% Belgian
The Frenchman already had a rich coaching career. Highlights were at Lille, with the double title cup in France, Olympique Marseille, with reaching the Europa League final, and Olympique Lyon, with a place in the semi-finals of the Champions League. With Roma he became vice-champion twice in Italy. His last adventure in the Boot, at Napoli, was a disappointment with a dismissal after sixteen games. “But I had to leave there quite quickly due to a relational problem,” Garcia said on Friday. “The results weren’t that bad at the time of my departure. The Red Devils came my way again at the end of last year and immediately attracted me. On a sporting level, not financially. I immediately showed Vincent that I was very interested.”
In recent years there have been several heated duels between Belgium and France, always with Les Bleus as the victor. Frenchman Garcia had expected this topic to be on his plate on Friday. “I was not chosen as a Frenchman for this job,” he said with a straight face. “It is clear that from today on I am 100 percent Belgian. I am extremely motivated to defend the Belgian colors. I’m even going to memorize the Brabançonne. I want to implement my philosophy here and achieve the best possible results. I have never been a national coach before, and this gives me enormous pride.”
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© BELGIUM
Is Thibaut Courtois returning?
With the departure of Domenico Tedesco as national coach, the way seems to be open for Thibaut Courtois to return to the Red Devils. New national coach Rudi Garcia and sporting director Vincent Mannaert shed light on the matter in Tubize on Friday. “Hopefully we can turn this page,” he said.
Garcia indicated that he only recently became aware of the whole fuss surrounding Courtois’ absence. “Of course that’s a shame. Belgium has a lot of quality between the posts, including Matz Sels and Koen Casteels, but in my opinion the best goalkeeper in the world is a Belgian. And that is Thibaut Courtois. We will try to add him to the selection again. The signals I hear are positive. I’m counting on him in the near future.”
-Vincent Mannaert had the same opinion as the new national coach. “I hope and assume that we can turn this page. It is still too early to make concrete statements, but I want to be able to count on everyone to look positively to the future.”
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© REUTERS
Garcia has worked with several absolute top players in the past. “And often the easiest thing to do is to collaborate with such football players,” he said. “They can act as an extension of a coach on the field. I will certainly consult thoroughly with the Belgian top players. I want to travel to Manchester, to Madrid and to Naples and explain my vision. It is important to find the right balance. But the fun and pride of the players must be central. That’s why I was surprised about the match sheet against Israel. Even if you do incredible things in a club, you still have to come here with a lot of motivation. As a player you should want to come on foot to defend your country.”
Help from Eden
With the appointment of Rudi Garcia as the new national coach of the Red Devils, there was also a lot of speculation about a role for Eden Hazard. Garcia’s former teammate – the two won the double in France at Lille in 2011 – will not join the coaching staff. “But he can certainly help me,” said the Frenchman.
Garcia himself caused some confusion with his performance on Friday. When asked whether he had spoken to ex-players about his appointment with the Red Devils, he answered decisively: “I mainly talked to Eden Hazard a lot.” “Of course I know him well. He will also be part of our adventure until the 2026 World Cup.”
The question immediately arose whether Hazard would be given a role in his staff. “No, that is not the case,” Garcia clarified. “Eden can be important for us as an intermediary. He has been part of this team, knows everyone well and can provide me with a lot of information. It’s good to have one of the best Belgian footballers ever behind me. Moreover, he lives in Madrid. That could be an extra advantage,” he said with a wink.
Confrontation with Ukraine
Garcia also brings three other assistants with him, with whom he has been working for some time: his compatriots Claude Fichaux, Stéphane Jobart and Christophe Prudhon. He doesn’t get much time to settle in, because the next assignment is coming up at the end of March. Then follows the double confrontation with Ukraine in the jump-offs of the Nations League. The qualifying campaign for the 2026 World Cup will then follow.
