Vincent Kompany facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Vincent Kompany

Kompany managing Bayern Munich in 2025
Personal information
Full name	Vincent Jean Mpoy Kompany
Date of birth	(1986-04-10) 10 April 1986 (age 39)
Place of birth	Uccle, Brussels, Belgium
Height	1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s)	Centre-back
Team information
Current team	Bayern Munich (head coach)
Youth career
2000–2003	Anderlecht
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2003–2006	Anderlecht	73	(5)
2006–2008	Hamburger SV	29	(1)
2008–2019	Manchester City	265	(18)
2019–2020	Anderlecht	15	(1)
Total		382	(25)
International career
2002	Belgium U16	3	(0)
2002	Belgium U17	2	(0)
2004–2019	Belgium	89	(4)
Managerial career
2019	Anderlecht
2020–2022	Anderlecht
2022–2024	Burnley
2024–	Bayern Munich
Medal record Men's football Representing  Belgium FIFA World Cup Third 2018
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Vincent Jean Mpoy Kompany (born 10 April 1986) is a Belgian professional football manager and former player. He played as a strong centre-back. He is currently the head coach of the German club Bundesliga team Bayern Munich.

Kompany is famous for playing eleven seasons at Manchester City. He was the team's captain for eight of those years. He also played for the Belgium national team for fifteen years. He was also the captain for his country.

Vincent started his career at Anderlecht in Belgium. He then moved to Bundesliga club Hamburg in 2006. In 2008, he joined Premier League club Manchester City. There, he became one of the best centre-backs in the league. In the 2011–12 season, he became City's captain. He led his team to win the Premier League title, their first in 44 years. Kompany won many awards, including the Premier League Player of the Season in 2012. He won eleven more trophies with City and played 360 games.

Kompany played 89 games for Belgium. He started playing for his country in 2004 when he was 17. He played in the FIFA World Cup in 2014 and 2018. Belgium finished third in 2018, which was their best result ever. He was the team's captain from 2010.

In 2019, Kompany returned to Anderlecht as a player-manager. A year later, he stopped playing football professionally. He then became the full-time manager for Anderlecht. In 2022, he became the manager of Burnley. He led them to win the EFL Championship in his first season. However, Burnley was relegated from the Premier League the next season. In 2024, he became the manager of Bayern Munich. He led them to win the 2024–25 Bundesliga title in his first season.

Playing Career Highlights

Starting at Anderlecht

Vincent Kompany was born in Uccle, Brussels. He began his football journey at Anderlecht when he was 17. His first professional game was on 30 July 2003. He played in a UEFA Champions League match against Rapid București. He scored his first goal on 1 February 2004. This was in a 3–1 win against Sint-Truiden.

Kompany won several awards in Belgium. These included the Belgian Golden Shoe and the Belgian Ebony Shoe. Many top European clubs wanted him. But he decided to stay at Anderlecht to develop his skills. He extended his contract in November 2003.

Moving to Hamburg

Kompany with Hamburg in 2006

On 9 June 2006, Kompany joined Hamburger SV in Germany. He moved for about €10 million. In his first season, he played only six league games. He then got an Achilles injury in November. This injury kept him out for the rest of the season.

Kompany scored a goal on 29 July 2007. This was in a 4–0 win against Dacia Chișinău. Hamburg won the UEFA Intertoto Cup that year. In August 2008, Kompany had a disagreement with Hamburg. This was because he wanted to play in the Olympic tournament in China.

Time at Manchester City

Joining the Premier League

On 22 August 2008, Kompany signed with Premier League club Manchester City. He signed a four-year contract. He played his first game two days later. City won 3–0 against West Ham United. On 28 September, he scored his first goal for City. This was in a 2–1 loss to Wigan Athletic. Early in his time at City, Kompany played as a defensive midfielder.

In October 2009, Kompany signed a new five-year deal. He scored more goals for the club. He got the number 4 jersey for the 2010–11 season.

Kompany holding the FA Cup during Manchester City's 2011 victory parade

On 16 April 2011, Kompany captained Manchester City. They beat rivals Manchester United 1–0 in the FA Cup semi-final. He was also named in the PFA Team of the Year. In the 2011 FA Cup Final, City beat Stoke City 1–0. This was City's first major trophy in 35 years. Manager Roberto Mancini praised Kompany as "incredible." He said Kompany was one of the best defenders in Europe. Kompany won the club's Player of the Year awards. He played 50 games that season.

Captain and League Titles

Kompany (centre) captaining City against Real Madrid in 2012

Kompany became the official club captain for the 2011–12 season. On 30 April 2012, he scored a header in the Manchester derby. City won 1–0, putting them first in the league. On 11 May 2012, Kompany was named Barclays Player of the Season. This was a first for a City player.

On 13 May, the last day of the season, Kompany led his team. They won 3–2 against Queens Park Rangers. This dramatic win secured the league title for City. It was their first league title since 1968. On 25 July, Kompany signed a six-year contract. This was the longest in the club's history.

The 2012–13 season was not as successful. City finished second in the league. They also lost the FA Cup Final 1–0 to Wigan Athletic. Kompany missed part of the season due to injury.

On 2 March 2014, Kompany captained City to win the League Cup Final. They beat Sunderland 3–1. On 11 May, he scored in a 2–0 win against West Ham United. This helped City win the 2013–14 Premier League title.

Later Years and Injuries

Kompany playing for City against Chelsea, 2015

During the 2014–15 season, Kompany played 33 games. However, the team did not win any major trophies. In April 2015, he got a muscle injury. This was the start of many recurring injuries for him.

Kompany training with City, 2017

In February 2016, he played in the 2016 Football League Cup Final. City beat Liverpool, and Kompany was named man of the match. But in May, he got another injury. This meant he missed Euro 2016 with Belgium. By November 2016, he had suffered 37 injuries since joining City. He had missed over two years of playing time. Despite this, he remained important to the team.

On 25 February 2018, he scored in a 3–0 win over Arsenal. This was in the 2018 EFL Cup Final. He was named man of the match. City won the league title with a record 100 points.

On 6 May 2019, Kompany scored a fantastic goal against Leicester City. It was his first goal from outside the box for the club. This win helped City stay at the top of the 2018–19 Premier League table. They won the title six days later. Kompany also lifted the EFL Cup in February 2019. He played in the 2019 FA Cup Final, which City won 6–0. This completed a historic domestic treble for the club.

Statue of Kompany outside of the Etihad Stadium

On 17 August 2020, Manchester City announced plans for a statue of Kompany. It is outside the Etihad Stadium. This was to celebrate his huge contribution to the club. The statue was unveiled on 28 August 2021.

Return to Anderlecht as Player-Manager

On 19 May 2019, Kompany left Manchester City. He returned to his first club, Anderlecht, as a player-manager. The team had a tough start to the season. On 22 August, Kompany decided to step down from managing on the field. He wanted to focus on playing.

International Career

Kompany playing for Belgium against Austria, 2011

Kompany first played for Belgium at age 17. This was on 18 February 2004, in a 2–0 loss to France.

He played in the Olympic football tournament in China in 2008. His club, Hamburg, finally allowed him to go. In Belgium's first game, he was sent off. Hamburg then demanded he return for the Bundesliga season.

In November 2009, Kompany had a disagreement with the Belgium manager. He was removed from the squad for a short time. But he was called back in February 2010.

Belgian captain Kompany swaps pennants with United States skipper Clint Dempsey in 2013

On 19 May 2010, Kompany captained Belgium for the first time. He also scored his first international goal. This was in a 2–1 friendly win against Bulgaria. In June 2013, he suffered a concussion and facial injuries. This happened in a World Cup qualifier against Serbia. He played the rest of the match despite his injuries.

On 13 May 2014, Kompany was chosen for Belgium's 2014 FIFA World Cup squad. He captained the team in their first World Cup match in 12 years. Injuries made him miss UEFA Euro 2016.

Kompany with Belgium at the 2018 FIFA World Cup

At the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, Kompany played in five matches. Belgium reached the semi-finals, losing to France. They then beat England to finish third. This was Belgium's best-ever finish in the World Cup.

Playing Style

Kompany was known as one of the best defenders in football. He was strong and smart as a centre back. He was excellent at heading the ball and moving around the field. He was also a great leader. He had good technique and could pass the ball well. He was very good at tackling and understanding the game. He could predict what his opponents would do.

Kompany first played as a central or defensive midfielder. Later, he moved to play as a centre-back. Even though he was very skilled, he often had injuries during his career.

Managerial Career

Anderlecht Manager

On 17 August 2020, Kompany became the head coach at Anderlecht. He retired from playing football on the same day. His first game as manager was a 1–1 draw. In the Belgian Cup, his team reached the semi-finals. The league season ended with them qualifying for the play-offs. They finished fourth and made it to the UEFA Europa Conference League.

In August 2021, Anderlecht was knocked out of the Conference League qualifiers. They lost to Dutch club Vitesse. In the cup, they reached the final. But they lost on penalties to Gent on 18 April 2022. They finished third in the league.

Burnley Manager

Kompany, managing Burnley outside Craven Cottage, following a match with Fulham on 23 December 2023.

Winning the Championship

On 14 June 2022, Kompany became the manager of EFL Championship club Burnley. This was after the club was relegated from the Premier League. His first game on 29 July was a 1–0 win. He won the EFL Championship Manager of the Month award for October. His team had five wins and three draws that month. He won the award again for December and January. Burnley finished the year at the top of the league. He also won the award for February 2023.

Burnley secured promotion to the Premier League on 7 April 2023. They had seven matches left to play. On 23 April, Kompany was named Championship manager of the season. His team then beat Blackburn Rovers on 25 April to win the division title. He signed a new contract on 7 May 2023, keeping him at Burnley until 2028. Burnley finished the season with 101 points. They lost only three matches out of 46.

Premier League Relegation

Kompany's first game as a Premier League manager was on 11 August 2023. His team lost 3–0 at home to Manchester City. On 23 December 2023, Burnley won 2–0 against Fulham. This moved them out of the relegation zone. This match was also special because a woman was the referee for the first time in the Premier League.

On 30 March 2024, Kompany was sent off for protesting a referee's decision. At the end of the season, Burnley was relegated from the Premier League. They finished 19th with 24 points.

Bayern Munich Manager

On 29 May 2024, Kompany was appointed as the new head coach of Bundesliga club Bayern Munich. He signed a three-year deal. Bayern paid about £10.2 million to Burnley for his contract. This made Kompany one of the most expensive managers ever. Bayern had not won any trophies the season before.

Kompany's first game for Bayern was on 16 August 2024. They won 4–0 in the DFB-Pokal cup. Nine days later, his Bundesliga debut was a 3–2 win. In mid-September, his team scored 20 goals in three games. This included a 9–2 Champions League win over Dinamo Zagreb. He became the first manager to score more than eight goals in a Champions League match.

On 4 May 2025, Bayern was confirmed as 2024–25 Bundesliga champions. They had lost only twice in 32 league matches.

Managerial Style

Experts like Adrian Clarke and Thom Harris have described Kompany's coaching style. They say it is similar to his former Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola. Kompany's teams focus on passing the ball and keeping possession. This is very different from the direct style of Burnley's previous manager, Sean Dyche.

Charity Work

Kompany is an official ambassador for the charity SOS Children. His father is from the Congo. Kompany supports projects there. These projects help children living in poverty get an education and safe homes.

In March 2013, Kompany bought a Belgian football club called Bleid. He did this to help young people in Brussels. He wanted to give disadvantaged youngsters a chance to improve their lives through sport.

Personal Life

Kompany's father, Pierre, is a Congolese immigrant to Belgium. He also works as Vincent's agent. In October 2018, Pierre became the mayor of Ganshoren. This made him the first black mayor in Belgium. Vincent's mother, Jocelyne, was Belgian. The Kompany family faced racism.

When Vincent was 14, he was expelled from school. This was because he missed many classes playing for the Belgium youth team. He also faced challenges when his parents divorced. Kompany said that he could have chosen a "wrong path" at that age.

His brother, François Kompany, also played football. Vincent has an older sister too. He is friends with former footballers like Yves Ma-Kalambay and Floribert N'Galula.

Kompany married his girlfriend, Carla Higgs, on 11 June 2011. She is a lifelong Manchester City fan. They have a daughter born in 2010, and two sons, born in 2013 and 2015.

Kompany has many interests outside football. He is interested in politics. He earned an MBA degree from Manchester Business School in 2018. Kompany is known for being smart and speaking well. He grew up speaking French and learned Flemish at school. He also speaks fluent German and English. He knows some Italian and Spanish too.

In April 2014, Kompany opened two sports bars in Belgium. They were called Good Kompany. However, he closed both bars within a year. He said that while they had enough customers, the money they made was not enough to cover the costs.

Career Statistics

Club

International

Belgium score listed first, score column indicates score after each Kompany goal

International goals by date, venue, cap, opponent, score, result and competition

No.	Date	Venue	Cap	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	19 May 2010	King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium	31	Bulgaria	2–1	2–1	Friendly
2	7 October 2011		43	Kazakhstan	3–0	4–1	UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
3	7 September 2012	Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales	48	Wales	1–0	2–0	2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
4	16 October 2012	King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium	51	Scotland	2–0	2–0	2014 FIFA World Cup qualification

Managerial Statistics

Honours and Awards

Player Achievements

Anderlecht

• Belgian First Division: 2003–04, 2005–06

Hamburger SV

• UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2007

Manchester City

• Premier League: 2011–12, 2013–14, 2017–18, 2018–19
• FA Cup: 2010–11, 2018–19
• EFL Cup: 2013–14, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2018–19
• FA Community Shield: 2012, 2018

Belgium National Team

• FIFA World Cup third place: 2018

Individual Player Awards

• Belgian Golden Shoe: 2004
• Belgian Young Professional Footballer of the Year: 2004, 2005
• Belgian Professional Footballer of the Year: 2004–05
• Belgian Ebony Shoe: 2004, 2005
• Premier League Player of the Season: 2011–12
• PFA Team of the Year: 2010–11 Premier League, 2011–12 Premier League, 2013–14 Premier League
• Premier League Hall of Fame: 2022

Manager Achievements

Burnley

• EFL Championship: 2022–23

Bayern Munich

• Bundesliga: 2024–25

Individual Manager Awards

• EFL Championship Manager of the Month: October 2022, December 2022, January 2023, February 2023
• EFL Championship Manager of the Season: 2022–23

See also

In Spanish: Vincent Kompany para niños