France will be aiming to return to winning ways when they welcome Belgium to the Stade de France on Monday for their UEFA Nations League encounter, with Zinedine Zidane seeking his first victory on home soil since taking charge of Les Bleus.
The 1998 World Cup winner has enjoyed an unbeaten start to his managerial reign, recording narrow 1-0 victories over Turkiye and Belgium before drawing 1-1 with Italy on Friday. However, the stalemate against Roberto Mancini’s side ended France’s four-match winning streak in competitive home fixtures and exposed some weaknesses in their performances.
Alessandro Bastoni scored the equaliser for Italy after Michael Olise had given France the lead with a stunning free-kick. Despite Gianluigi Donnarumma producing an impressive display, Italy arguably deserved their point following a strong performance in Paris.
France remain top of League A Group 1, but their advantage over Belgium has been reduced to just one point, increasing the importance of Monday’s meeting.
The Red Devils arrive in confident mood after securing a convincing 3-0 victory over Turkiye in Liege. Kevin De Bruyne inspired Belgium with a commanding performance, helping Mark van Bommel’s side recover from their narrow defeat to France in the reverse fixture.
Belgium have also recorded clean sheets against Italy and Turkiye, demonstrating improvements in their defensive organisation. Their latest victory puts them in a strong position to challenge France for top spot, and a win in Paris would see them leapfrog their rivals.
However, history favours the hosts. France have won their last six meetings against Belgium, including a 1-0 victory in Brussels late last month, when Olise scored a decisive 88th-minute goal.
Belgium will be determined to end that run and claim their first victory over Les Bleus since June 2015.
Team News
France will be without Dayot Upamecano, who is suspended for Monday’s encounter after receiving his second yellow card late in the draw against Italy. His absence could provide an opportunity for Maxence Lacroix to partner Jeremy Jacquet in central defence, with the duo having previously featured together in the reverse fixture against Belgium.
Kylian Mbappe remains unavailable after withdrawing from the squad due to a knee injury sustained during France’s opening 1-0 victory over Turkiye. His absence is a significant setback for Zidane, although the French manager still has several attacking options at his disposal.
Olise has emerged as an influential figure under Zidane, having scored two of France’s three Nations League goals so far, both from free-kicks.
Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue, Rayan Cherki, Bradley Barcola and Maghnes Akliouche are also available to provide attacking creativity and pace.
Belgium, meanwhile, will be without two of their most influential midfielders, as De Bruyne and Youri Tielemans are suspended after picking up yellow cards in the 3-0 victory over Turkiye. Their absence represents a major blow to Van Bommel’s plans, particularly against a technically gifted French midfield.
Chelsea midfielder Romeo Lavia could be handed another opportunity to feature, potentially alongside Nicolas Raskin in a two-man midfield or as part of a three-man combination with Hans Vanaken.
Belgium will need their midfield replacements to maintain possession and provide defensive protection against France’s attacking threats. Romelu Lukaku and Charles De Ketelaere are expected to carry much of the attacking responsibility, while Mika Godts could also feature in the final third.
Possible Lineups
France possible starting lineup:
Maignan; Kalulu, Jacquet, Lacroix, Truffert; Cherki, Da Cunha, Camavinga; Olise, Dembele, Doue
Belgium possible starting lineup:
Lammens; Castagne, Ngoy, Mechele, De Cuyper; Lavia, Raskin; Lukebakio, Vanaken, Godts; De Ketelaere
How to Watch
| Platform | Details |
|---|---|
| TV Broadcast | SuperSport |
| Live Stream | dstv stream |
| Kick-off Time | 19:45pm(WAT) |
Match Prediction
Softfootball predicts France 2-1 Belgium. France will enter the contest with confidence from their recent dominance over Belgium, having won their last six meetings against the Red Devils. Zidane’s side also possess considerable attacking depth despite Mbappe’s absence.
Belgium’s emphatic victory over Turkiye will provide encouragement, but the suspensions of De Bruyne and Tielemans could significantly weaken their midfield.
The hosts could face a difficult challenge against Belgium’s improving defence, but their attacking quality and home advantage may prove decisive.
