Marítimo have found their new head coach, and it's a name fans know intimately. Mitchell van der Gaag agrees terms through June 2028. The Dutchman heads back to Madeira, the island where he first became a fan favorite.

A Familiar Face Comes Home

Van der Gaag's connection to Marítimo runs deep. Between 2001 and 2006, he made 166 appearances as a defender, becoming a genuine club legend along the way. Few outsiders earn that status. Van der Gaag did, and the island never forgot him.

After hanging up his boots, coaching called. He took charge of Marítimo's B team in 2008, then stepped up to the senior side a year later. From there, his journey expanded. Spells followed at Belenenses and Cyprus side Ermis before he returned to the Netherlands for roles at PSV, Excelsior, NAC, and Jong Ajax.

Then came his biggest break. In 2021, Erik ten Hag brought him into Ajax's first-team staff as an assistant. Together, they won the Eredivisie title. A year later, both moved to Manchester United, where Van der Gaag helped collect an EFL Cup and FA Cup. Eventually, though, he departed in 2024, eager to lead his own project.

That opportunity arrived at FC Zurich in May 2025. Unfortunately, things didn't go to plan. Just five months later, the Swiss club let him go. Since then, van der Gaag has spent time in Lisbon, recharging and weighing his next move carefully.

Now, that next chapter looks set. Marítimo, currently rebuilding their own ambitions, sees van der Gaag as the right man to lead them forward. For him, it's more than a job. It's a homecoming, a chance to repay a club that shaped his career. Expect emotions to run high once it's confirmed.