The 22-year-old Belgian centre-back previously played for Royal Antwerp, and brings the experience of over 100 competitive matches to Union's back-line.

From the small community of Brasschaat to the elite

Van Den Bosch began his footballing life at Mariaburg VK before his journey took him through Beerschot AC and Lierse SK, before ultimately joining the Royal Antwerp academy, where the right-footer would mature into a key figure. He celebrated his professional debut in the Belgian Division 1A during a 3-0 away win in Ostend on January 18, 2023.

By the end of that season, Van den Bosch had double the reason to celebrate, winning the league and cup double with Antwerp. He made seven league appearances, including the championship play-offs, and two in the Cup, including the final.

Van Den Bosch found a regular starting position in the defence from the 17th matchday of the following season onwards. He also gained European experience in the UEFA Champions League, where he played three times against FC Barcelona, Shakhtar Donetsk, and FC Porto.

The 6'3" defender hardly relinquished his place in the side since then, playing 140 competitive matches, scoring three goals and assisting two more. Van Den Bosch has represented Belgium's U-17 and U-21 sides.

Three facts about Zeno

• The Royal Antwerp fans voted him as player of the season in 2023/24.

• In more than 100 competitive matches, the centre-back has yet to receive a single red card.

• In the recently completed season, his 56% success rate in duels and 80% completed passes came as he completed 100% of possible minutes on the pitch. He was the outfield player with the most minutes played in his team.

Reactions to the Signing 

Zeno Van Den Bosch summed up this next step in his career, saying, “My time at Royal Antwerp has shaped me enormously, both in the youth ranks and, in particular, as a young professional at the highest level. I will always be grateful to the club for that. Now the right time has come for me to take the next step, and I was determined to do so at 1. FC Union Berlin. I had a very good feeling from our very first conversation, because the club has very clear values of team spirit and development. This is exactly the environment in which I want to continue to improve within, and I’m really looking forward to stepping out onto the pitch at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei soon.”

“Zeno is a young player with great development potential who can immediately help us due to his experience," said Union's director of men's professional football, Horst Heldt. "He brings size, strength in duels, and at the same time good agility. Being a regular player at a top team in Belgium at his age requires not only talent but also maturity, discipline, and leadership qualities. We see these traits in him and want to develop them together. We are pleased that he wants to take his next career step at Union,” commented Horst Heldt, Managing Director of Professional Football Men, on the transfer.