LONDON (UK) – Vincent Kompany said on Monday that he was retiring from playing soccer to become the full-time manager of Belgian Pro League club Anderlecht.
Kompany, 34, will be head coach for the next four seasons.
After a 11-year-long stint with Manchester City, he joined Anderlecht as player manager in May last year. Three months later, he relinquished his managerial role to focus on playing.
Kompany made 15 appearances for Anderlecht during the Belgian Pro League last season and the club finished eighth.
“I want to fully commit to my role as a coach and need 100% of my time and focus for it. That’s why I’m quitting as a football player,” Kompany said.
“I want to stay with the club for at least 4 seasons and prove that Anderlecht can play a modern style of football, with results.”
He joined Manchester City from Hamburg in 2008 and went on to become skipper, helping them clinch four Premier League titles, two FA Cups and four League Cups.
Kompany, who has played for Belgium 89 times, was part of the line-up that finished third at the 2018 World Cup.
He is slated to make his debut appearance as manager during Sunday’s league match against Mouscron. Anderlecht are third with four points from two games.
(Photos syndicated via Reuters)
This story has been edited by BH staff and is published from a syndicated field