Vincent Kompany: “It was a pretty tough time for me personally, with the death of my mother”
This interview between Life After Football and Vincent Kompany took place in 2012, during his early years at Manchester City, just after winning the club’s first Premier League title in decades. At 26 years old, he was establishing himself as captain and a central figure in a new era for the club, balancing ambition with the lessons of early setbacks. Looking back, the conversation captures a player transitioning from raw talent into a leader, already thinking in terms of legacy, discipline and long-term impact.
At this stage of his career, Kompany reflects on his early breakthrough and the challenges that shaped him. His answers reveal how setbacks, rather than success, defined his mentality and transformed him into a leader.
So, first of all: tell us about your career until the moment you made your Anderlecht debut?
Vincent Kompany: “I grew up in Brussels and from the age of six I’d gone through all of the youth series at Anderlecht. Halfway through the under 16s competitions, I got the chance to fill in during a reserves match against Walhain when Goran Lovre refused to carry on as central defender. He was quickly substituted by Frankie Vercauteren, who was the reserves coach at the time. It went so well that from that point on I played a reserves match every Friday as well as playing every Saturday with the under 16s. This continued right through to the end of the season. After that I carried on training with the under 16s as well as with the reserves twice per week, and, every now and then, with the first team.”
And yet you decided to leave Brussels despite that disastrous season. And it wasn’t even for the top, but for HSV Hamburg…
“It’s true that lots of people advised me to stay on for another season, but I’d got to the point where I felt I’d achieved as much as I could in Belgium… even after the second season really. Anyway, very few people in Belgium have played at top European level. How can they judge? And don’t forget that at that time, Hamburg was at the top. A top competition, a stadium packed with a crowd of 57,000 for every match, Champions League and top players like Van der Vaart, De Jong, Mathijsen, Guerrero, Olic and Sorin in the team. But most importantly, for me it was high time to take on a new challenge after fourteen years at Anderlecht.”
At 10 million Euros you were Hamburg’s most expensive purchase ever, but then fate stepped in.
“Everything went well in the run up to the season, but then I ripped my Achilles tendon and was out of the game for nine months. It was also a pretty tough time for me personally with the death of my mother. Yet all of those setbacks put me in a state of mind that helped me to become a better player. At the time I had an incredibly tough trainer in Huub Stevens, but he was also someone I really gained a lot of respect for.”
When Kompany speaks about Manchester City, it is clear that this is more than just a club move. It is about building something, taking responsibility and thinking beyond short-term success.
So what happened next?
“After a bit of a chat with the chairman about it all, it didn’t take long to get a transfer. A few days later the chairman picked me up after training and we drove to a hotel. I spoke to Mark Hughes on the phone, who was with Manchester City at the time, and he made it clear that he wanted me there. I signed with City the same day. That Friday I flew to England and on the Saturday I was on the team for my first match, without even knowing my team mates. I even won Man of the Match!”
Isn’t it high time for City reap what they’ve sewn, particularly given the investments they’ve made in the last few years?
“This is my fourth season at City. Last year we won the FA Cup and this year we won the title for the first time in years. This season was a learning process in the Champions League, but next season the priority will be prolonging the championship and the Champions League, even though they are the two toughest competitions!”
And what if Real Madrid, Barça or AC Milan comes knocking?
“Not a single part of me would think about leaving City. I want to make history with this club. The challenge of winning titles, both national and international, is far greater with Manchester City, than at the clubs you’re talking about, where – with all due respect – they are just another little title… Anyway, I’ve been the captain here since last year and it’s a real honour.”
Beyond football itself, Kompany already speaks like a leader and future coach. His views on discipline, responsibility and development reveal a mindset built for longevity.
And how are things with your injuries?
“Funnily enough, with the exception of a broken toe, I haven’t had any injuries since those two years full of injuries and that difficult year with all of the pain. I think it’s because in England they don’t have that schoolmaster mentality that you get in Belgium when it comes to training. Players are given more freedom here and can pretty much decide for themselves on the kind of specific training they need.”
Interesting, that you mention that difference. What does that change for you as a player?
“Here, we might train less than they do in Belgium, but it’s more professional and that’s something they could learn from England. It’s not so much about the length or number of group training sessions, but about the intensity.”
What about the so-called ‘golden generation’ of the Red Devils?
“I don’t like that term. This generation needs time to grow and gain some experience, at club level as well as internationally. In principle, this group could carry on playing together for another ten years, which would only be to the advantage of the national team’s results. All in all, that’s my drive. It gives me determination to play with the national team!”
Ready for more?
Check out this story about an old fellow Belgian teammate of Kompany, Radja Nainggolan opening up about his private life.
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