Zidane’s side trailed at the break but four second-half goals, two from the Bayern winger, sent Belgium home empty-handed
By Andalo Christine Ingutia
France produced a commanding second-half comeback to beat Belgium 4-1 at the Stade de France on Monday night, handing Zinedine Zidane another confident result as his tenure as Les Bleus head coach continues to take shape.
It had not looked that way at the interval. Belgium were the better side in the opening 45 minutes and took a deserved lead through Dodi Lukebakio in the 34th minute, leaving the home crowd subdued and Zidane’s side with serious questions to answer. The absence of captain Kylian Mbappé, ruled out through injury, had left France short of their usual cutting edge in attack, and Belgium defended their advantage with composure to the break.
What emerged from the tunnel was a different France entirely. Zidane’s side pressed higher, moved with greater urgency and pinned Belgium deep inside their own half. The turnaround began in the 76th minute when Désiré Doué found the equaliser to lift the Stade de France back to life. Four minutes later, Rayan Cherki put France ahead for the first time, and what had looked like a difficult evening was suddenly a platform for something special.
Michael Olise had come off the bench and was growing in influence with every passing minute. The Bayern Munich winger brought energy and directness to France’s attack that Belgium had no answer for. In the 88th minute he struck to make it 3-1, and in stoppage time he struck again — his second of the night completing a performance that was difficult to watch and impossible to ignore. Four goals in the final stages, and a 4-1 final score that rather flattered the scale of Belgium’s first-half performance.
For Zidane, the result carried significance beyond the scoreline. His early matches in charge have centred on striking the right balance between established players and a younger generation pushing hard for recognition. Against Belgium, with Mbappé absent, it was that younger group that stepped forward. They took responsibility when it was needed, and delivered.
The victory also strengthens France’s position at the top of their Nations League group and adds momentum to a Zidane project that is beginning to find its voice. For Belgium, it will be remembered as a night of opportunity squandered after a promising start. For Olise, it was one more performance — increasingly hard to dismiss — that suggested his role in this France side is only going to grow.
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