Lenie Onzia Hired as Belgium Red Flames Coach in Tubize 2026

Tubize (Brussels Morning Newspaper) November 10, 2026 – The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) has officially announced the appointment of former Belgium international and Arsenal player Lenie Onzia as the new head coach of the Belgian Red Flames. Endorsed by RBFA technical manager Simon Mignolet, Onzia succeeds Elísabet Gunnarsdóttir following Belgium’s failure to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The technical overhaul includes the additions of Kevin Bogemans as assistant coach and former Austria manager Irene Fuhrmann as Senior Technical Advisor.

Former International Lenie Onzia Selected to Lead Belgian Red Flames

Tubize, Belgium – The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) confirmed on Sunday, 8 November 2026, that former national team midfielder Lenie Onzia has been appointed as the new head coach of the Belgian Red Flames.

The decision marks a major managerial transition for the senior women’s national team following the departure of Icelandic manager Elísabet Gunnarsdóttir on 22 October 2026. Gunnarsdóttir was relieved of her duties after Belgium failed to meet performance targets, culminating in an elimination from the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualification play-offs against Poland.

Onzia, 37, was formally presented to the media at the RBFA headquarters in Tubize on Monday, 9 November 2026. Addressing reporters at her unveiling, Onzia expressed her commitment to advancing the national team’s technical standards.

As reported by official RBFA communications, Lenie Onzia stated: “It is an honour to take on this challenge. I look forward to continuing to build on what we have achieved with this group, with ambition as our guiding principle.”

Simon Mignolet Leads Technical Restructure Following Retirement

The hiring of Onzia represents one of the first major structural decisions executed by former Liverpool and Belgium goalkeeper Simon Mignolet in his capacity as the RBFA’s technical manager.

Mignolet officially transitioned into management at the national federation on 1 September 2026, bringing an end to his 22-year professional playing career. His final match took place on 24 May 2026, when he started for Club Brugge in a 5–0 home victory against KAA Gent, exiting in the 78th minute to a guard of honour. The fixture sealed Club Brugge’s 20th Belgian league title, marking Mignolet’s fourth domestic league championship alongside a Belgian Cup during his tenure with the club since joining in 2019.

Prior to his spell in Belgium, Mignolet spent six seasons with Premier League side Liverpool after joining from Sunderland in 2013, making 204 appearances for the Merseyside club and winning the 2019 UEFA Champions League as backup to Alisson Becker.

Following the dismissal of Gunnarsdóttir, Mignolet oversaw the search for a new head coach, publicly endorsing Onzia’s internal promotion as the ideal step to maintain organizational continuity.

As reported by the Royal Belgian Football Association, Simon Mignolet stated: “Lenie knows our organisation inside out. She has worn the Red Flames shirt as a player, gained coaching experience with our national youth teams and has been part of the Red Flames’ coaching staff as an assistant coach since 2024. This journey makes her the ideal person to take on the role of national coach within our new structure. We have complete confidence in her and will provide her with all the support she needs to succeed.”

What Led to the Dismissal of Previous Head Coach Elísabet Gunnarsdóttir?

The coaching change followed Belgium’s defeat in the European qualifiers for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The Red Flames were drawn against Poland in a two-legged play-off tie.

Belgium secured a 1–0 victory in the first leg played in Leuven. However, in the return leg held in Gdansk, Poland won 3–2, leaving the aggregate score tied at 3–3. Poland subsequently progressed by winning the penalty shoot-out 4–3.

Following the elimination, the RBFA board and technical leadership concluded their collaboration with Gunnarsdóttir on 22 October 2026, citing the failure to achieve key competitive benchmarks established for the World Cup qualification cycle.

Lenie Onzia’s Playing Career and Coaching Progression

Lenie Onzia brings extensive experience across both domestic and international football, having accumulated 51 caps for the Belgian Red Flames during her international playing career.

After progressing through the youth ranks at OH Leuven, Onzia played professionally in Belgium, England, and the Netherlands. Her club career included spells with Arsenal FC’s reserves, FC Twente, VVV-Venlo, Lierse, RSC Anderlecht, KAA Gent, and a return to OH Leuven.

Onzia retired from professional football in May 2022 following a 5–2 victory for OH Leuven against Standard Liège. She immediately joined the senior national team’s technical staff for the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 tournament in England.

Following the tournament, Onzia transitioned into youth development, serving as an assistant coach for the Belgium Women’s Under-23 team before being named head coach of the Belgium Women’s Under-17 national team.

In 2024, she returned to the senior squad as an assistant coach. Onzia formally completed her coaching qualifications in September 2026, earning her UEFA Pro Licence—the highest coaching certification awarded within European football.

How Has the Royal Belgian Football Association Strengthened the Technical Staff?

Alongside Onzia’s appointment, the RBFA confirmed two key additions to the Red Flames’ technical structure: Kevin Bogemans and Irene Fuhrmann.

Kevin Bogemans, 41, has been appointed as assistant coach. Bogemans previously served as head coach of the Belgium Women’s Under-23 team and as an assistant coach for the Under-19 national side.

Irene Fuhrmann, 46, joins the organization as Senior Technical Advisor. Fuhrmann previously served as head coach of the Austria women’s national football team from 2020 to 2024, guiding the Austrian squad to the quarter-finals of UEFA Women’s EURO 2022.

Evaluating the additions to the coaching staff, Simon Mignolet highlighted the balance of international experience and domestic youth knowledge within the new setup.

As reported by the Royal Belgian Football Association, Simon Mignolet stated: “With Kevin Bogemans and Irene Fuhrmann, two strong profiles reinforce our staff. Kevin knows our young generation of players like no other thanks to his work within our national youth teams. As we begin a new cycle, that experience will be of great value. Irene brings a wealth of international experience as former head coach of Austria. She also comes from a federation that is similar to ours in many respects. Together, they will bring considerable expertise to our new structure around the Red Flames.”

The restructured coaching team will oversee the Red Flames as they prepare for their upcoming international campaign in League B of the 2027 UEFA Women’s Nations League.