Fourteen years after his father’s final cap, the PSV winger overcomes a devastating injury to earn his maiden Oranje call-up, sparking emotional praise from the Dutch legend.
Fourteen years after Mark van Bommel ended his international career with the Netherlands, his son Ruben van Bommel is set to follow in his footsteps after receiving his first Oranje call-up from head coach Xavi Hernández.
The PSV winger has been rewarded for an impressive start to the season, having returned strongly from the serious cruciate ligament injury that ruled him out for the remainder of the previous campaign.
For Mark van Bommel, now Belgium head coach, the moment carries a special significance. The former Netherlands international was capped 79 times by his country and was quick to express his pride after Xavi included Ruben in the latest Oranje squad.
“I’m very proud of that. I played for the Netherlands national team myself,” Van Bommel said at his press conference.
The 22-year-old spent a difficult period on the sidelines after suffering his cruciate ligament injury last year. His return to competitive football has been followed closely, and his performances for PSV have now earned him a place in the Netherlands squad.
Van Bommel believes the road back makes the achievement even more impressive.
“He has had a very difficult year behind him with a cruciate ligament injury. If you’re back that way, that’s pretty impressive,” he added, as relayed by PSV Inside.
Ruben now has the opportunity to make his senior Netherlands debut, 14 years after his father last represented the country.
Van Bommel Addresses Ajax Incident
The Belgium coach was also asked about the controversial incident involving his son during PSV’s 3-1 victory over Ajax on 5 September.
Ruben was involved in a collision with Ajax defender Aaron Bouwman during the second half of the match. The incident sparked considerable debate in the Netherlands, with Van Bommel receiving a yellow card while some observers argued that the challenge warranted a red.
Mark van Bommel acknowledged that his son should have been sent off, but urged that the discussion remain focused on what happened on the pitch rather than extending into other areas.
“Football is a sport where you talk a lot about it. When you see the football, I think you have to judge the moments the way they are on the pitch. And you shouldn’t bring in other things. That’s the only thing I want to say about it.”
He was equally clear about his assessment of the tackle itself.
“He’s developing well. After that match, some things did arise. He deserved a red card for that foul against Ajax, but you shouldn’t bring up any other things.”
A Significant Moment For The Van Bommel Family
The call-up creates a notable moment for the Van Bommel family, with Ruben now set to continue a Netherlands international tradition established by his father.
Mark, meanwhile, has moved into international management himself. He is currently preparing Belgium for his first matches under his new role and has already announced his first squad, with established names including Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku still involved.
For Ruben, however, the focus is now on making the most of his opportunity with Oranje after overcoming a lengthy injury setback.
His first Netherlands call-up represents the latest step in a comeback that has taken him from a serious knee injury to the senior international stage.
