Former Belgium and Manchester City defender Vincent Kompany has announced his retirement from professional football, taking up the head coach position at Anderlecht.
Konpany rejoined the Belgian club as player-manager last summer but relinquished his managerial duties on match days in August in order to concentrate on playing.
The 34-year-old replaces Franky Vercauteren as Anderlecht boss.
“I want to fully commit to my role as a coach and need 100% of my time and focus for it,” said Kompany.
“That’s why I’m quitting as a football player. Our ambition and our hunger remains the same.
“I want to stay with the club for at least four seasons and prove that Anderlecht can play a modern style of football, with results.”
And according to Anderlecht chief executive Karel van Eetvelt: “As everybody knows, this was always the plan.
“It might have come a little sooner than expected, but Vincent committing himself for another four seasons to the club is great news for the club, our supporters and our players.”
Kompany will take charge of Anderlecht for the first time against Mouscron on Sunday.
He spent 11 years with City, eight of them as club captain, before rejoining boyhood club Anderlecht in 2019.
As a player he won the Belgian First Division twice, before picking up four Premier League titles, two FA Cups and four League Cups in England.
He won 89 caps for Belgium and was part of the team that finished third at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
