FC Bayern have a new head coach after Vincent Kompany joined on a three-year contract to take charge until 2027. Born on 10 April 1986 in the Brussels suburb of Uccle, Kompany came through as a player at Anderlecht’s academy before turning professional there. The central defender would then have spells at Hamburg and Manchester City before one final stint back at his boyhood club, which was also his first job as a coach. The 38-year-old was most recently in charge of English side Burnley. Kompany won 89 caps at senior level for Belgium, competing at two World Cups (2014 and 2018), as well as the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
Find out more about Bayern’s new Belgian boss here.
Spell in Germany with HSV
Vincent Jean Mpoy Kompany first joined Anderlecht’s academy in 1992 before making his senior debut at the age of 17 in 2003. In 2004, the centre-back, who was sometimes also used in defensive midfielder, was named Belgium’s Footballer of the Year, while he also won the league in 2003/04 and 2005/06. The following summer, Kompany moved to Germany to join Hamburg. His stay lasted two years, with his final match actually coming at the Allianz Arena in a 2-2 draw against Bayern in August 2008. As well as English and French, the Belgian also speaks fluent German.
11 years in Manchester
Kompany signed for Manchester City that summer and would go on to spend 11 years at the club, during which he won four English Premier League titles, two FA Cups, four EFL Cups and two Community Shields. The defender was named captain from the 2011/12 campaign, when he was voted Premier League Player of the Season. While at City, Kompany played under Roberto Mancini, Manuel Pellegrini and Pep Guardiola, later revealing that the latter in particular played a key role in his career and backed him to become a coach.
Coaching bow at Anderlecht
Kompany returned home in the twilight of his career when he re-joined Anderlecht in 2019 in the role of player-manager. Injury forced him to call time on his playing days in summer 2020, after which he became just head coach of the Brussels club.
Back to England
After two seasons in the role, leading to two third-placed finishes, Kompany returned to his adopted home of England to take over at Burnley in summer 2022. He guided the Clarets straight back into the Premier League after only one year in the Championship as champions with 101 points. However, Burnley finished 19th in their first season back in the top flight and were relegated again. Kompany was the youngest coach in the 2023/24 Premier League.
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At 38, Kompany will be the third-youngest coach in the Bundesliga next season behind St. Pauli’s Fabian Hürzeler (31) and Werder Bremen’s Ole Werner. He is regarded as a very communicative coach who wants his team to play brave, possession-based attacking football. “The best starting position is to have a team that shows real togetherness,” the tactician told media of his time at Burnley. Kompany also ensures togetherness in his private life as a father and with a close relationship to his younger brother and older sister.
In 2018, Kompany graduated with an MBA from Manchester Business School, while his father – originally from the Congo – was elected mayor of the Belgian town of Ganshoren the same year. “I’ve always believed that education is very important, and this was instilled in me from an early age by my late mother. The MBA degree seemed like a tribute to my mother,” he is quoted as saying on the university's website. Kompany, who is involved in several charitable organisations, is now taking the helm at FC Bayern. Good luck, Vincent!
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