France player ratings vs Belgium: Michael Olise and Desire Doue inspire stunning late turnaround
France secured a 4-1 victory against Belgium in the Nations League after a late-game offensive surge. Despite trailing for most of the match, the introduction of young players helped France overcome Belgium's defensive strategy.
Why it matters
The match highlights the tactical evolution of the French national team and the impact of bench depth in high-stakes international football.
France produced a remarkable late blitz at the Stade de France to secure a 4-1 victory over Belgium in the Nations League. Trailing for the majority of the match, Zinedine Zidane's side scored four times in the final 14 minutes to overwhelm the visitors.
For 77 minutes, it appeared that Mark van Bommel’s Belgium were poised to secure a disciplined away victory following Dodi Lukebakio's first-half opener. Les Bleus struggled to break down a compact Belgian block, despite dominating 61% of the possession and amassing an expected goals (xG) figure of 2.38. The tactical landscape shifted significantly in the final quarter, as France’s superior physical conditioning and bench depth finally told against an increasingly weary Belgian rearguard.
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