Mark van Bommel

Mark van Bommel is a former midfielder. He was born on 22 April 1977 in Maasbracht, Netherlands.

Mark’s professional career took off in 1992, when he penned his first contract with Fortuna Sittard. Van Bommel made occasional appearances during his first season in the club, because he had to adjust to the world of senior football. Soon after, the head coach began to let the Dutchman on the pitch more often, which eventually resulted in Mark’s becoming a regular and the anchor player of the team. From 1992 till 1999, van Bommel made 153 appearances and fired 13 goals for Fortuna Sittard.

In 1999 the footballer drew the attention of PSV. One of the best Dutch clubs offered the midfielder a move and Mark accepted the offer. The player performed for the squad till 2005 and was one of the pivots of the team during six years. The head coach gave him an opportunity to come on the pitch almost in every match, and van Bommel impressed at the position of a midfielder. Mark featured in 169 games and amassed 46 goals for the club during his spell.

In 2005 the footballer sealed a deal with Barcelona, which was headed by Frank Rijkaard at that moment. The club did not have to pay for the talented player, because his contract with the Dutch side squad expired, and van Bommel signed for the new team on a free transfer. Mark made 24 appearances and netted two goals for Barcelona, but he did not manage to adapt to the style of the club’s performance.

In 2006 German side Bayern Munich lodged a bid for the midfielder, which was accepted very soon. The Dutchman put pen to paper of a long-term contract worth €6 million. During five years, Mark was the key player of the new team and enjoyed the head coach’s confidence. From 2006 till 2011, the player made 123 appearances and chipped in 11 goals.

In 2011 van Bommel finalized a move to Milan and featured in 39 games for the new club during one season. On 14 May 2012, the midfielder returned to PSV.

One year later van Bommel finished his brilliant football career at the age of 36.

From 2000 till 2012, Mark was capped 71 times and contributed ten goals for the Netherlands national squad.