WOLFSBURG, Germany — Wolfsburg hired Mark van Bommel as coach on Wednesday as the team prepares for its first Champions League campaign since 2015-16.
The 44-year-old former Dutch midfielder signed a two-year contract through June 2023, the Bundesliga club said.
Van Bommel played for Bayern Munich between 2006-11 and twice captained the Bavarian team to league and cup doubles. He scored 11 goals in 123 Bundesliga games for Bayern, where he was known for his aggressive playing style.
Van Bommel also played for Barcelona, AC Milan and PSV Eindhoven. He scored 10 goals in 79 games for the Netherlands.
“He fits our philosophy perfectly,” Wolfsburg managing director Jörg Schmadtke said. “He is an internationally recognized soccer man and knows what to expect in the Bundesliga. He also has a lot of ambition, which already set him apart over his long playing career.”
Van Bommel began his coaching career as an assistant to compatriot Bert van Marwijk with the Saudi Arabian and Australian national teams before coaching PSV in 2018-19.
Wolfsburg was looking for a coach following Oliver Glasner’s decision to join Eintracht Frankfurt after he had helped the team finish fourth and qualify for the Champions League. Glasner reportedly had a strained relationship with Schmadtke.
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