Brussels, Feb 8 (AFP/APP): Domenico Tedesco will take over as head coach of Belgium, the country’s federation announced (RBFA) on Wednesday.
The 37-year-old Italy-born Tedesco succeeds Roberto Martinez, who stepped down after Belgium failed to qualify for the knockout stages at the World Cup in Qatar.
“His mission is to qualify the Belgian Red Devils for the Euro 2024 in Germany. The first qualifying match will be played on March 24 in Stockholm against Sweden,” the RBFA said.
Tedesco, who has coached Schalke, Spartak Moscow and RB Leipzig, will be presented to the press later on Wednesday.
“For me it is a great honour to be the new head coach of Belgium. I’m really looking forward to the task and I’m extremely motivated. I had a very good feeling right from the first conversation,” Tedesco said on the RBFA website.
The appointment had been expected since late January. The delay led to suspicion that Tedesco was considering the vacant Hoffenheim job. Barely 15 minutes after the RBFA announcement, the Bundesliga club tweeted they had hired Pellegrino Matarazzo.
Spaniard Martinez left the Red Devils after a disappointing elimination in the group stage of the World Cup in Qatar, likely to mark the end of the country’s “golden generation” of players.
The closest to a title a Belgium squad containing Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, Thibaut Courtois, Jan Vertonghen and Eden Hazard, among others, came under Martinez was third place at the 2018 World Cup. Hazard announced his international retirement after the World Cup.
Martinez was appointed Portugal coach on January 9.
Belgium were linked with an impressive list of potential candidates, including former assistant Thierry Henry, who the players reportedly supported but who did not apply.
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