What Happened: 0-1
A cagey Brussels night stayed goalless deep into the second half before Michael Olise's 88th-minute solo strike gave France a 0-1 win - Zidane's bold bench deciding his first competitive away test.
| Minute | Event | For |
|---|---|---|
| 12' | Désiré Doué cracks the crossbar | France |
| 53' | Lucas Da Cunha strikes the post | France |
| 77' | Zidane sends on Olise and Cherki | France |
| 88' | Olise surges from his own half and slots past Lammens | France |
The takeaway: France dominated territory and hit the woodwork twice, but it took Zidane's substitutes to break a disciplined Belgian low block. Olise, introduced in the 77th minute, needed eleven minutes to win it.
At a Glance
The Fixture
Both sides opened their campaigns on 25 September - Belgium away to Italy in Rome, France away to Türkiye - before colliding in Brussels three days later. This was Matchday 2 of Group 1, a group that also contains Italy and Türkiye. The return fixture lands on 15 November at the Stade de France, and France's win in Brussels hands Zidane's side early control of the group heading into the autumn.
Two Coaches, Two Rebuilds
Mark van Bommel (Belgium): Appointed on 24 July 2026 through Euro 2028 after Rudi Garcia's departure, the former PSV, Wolfsburg and Royal Antwerp boss arrives with a point to prove - and a rescue job on his hands. Belgium were the tournament's great overperformers in 2026, topping Group G and dumping out Senegal and the USA before Spain's 88th-minute winner broke Red Devil hearts in the quarter-finals. Van Bommel's Antwerp won the Belgian league and cup double; now he has been handed the country's golden generation, version 3.0, with Zenden, Martens and Robbemond alongside him.
Zinedine Zidane (France): The appointment France had waited years for. Zidane finally took the job on 28 July 2026, signing through the 2030 World Cup after Didier Deschamps closed a 14-year, 187-match reign with a World Cup semi-final exit to Spain and a surreal 4-6 third-place match against England. Zizou's debut came away to Türkiye on 25 September; Brussels is his first genuine examination, three days before his home debut at the Stade de France.
How the Key Men Played
Belgium: Kevin De Bruyne pulled the strings in Van Bommel's home bow, still the most gifted passer on the pitch, with Romelu Lukaku leading the line and Youri Tielemans and Nicolas Raskin anchoring midfield. Dodi Lukebakio went closest to a winner, but the Red Devils could not break down a stubborn French back line.
France: Kylian Mbappé was ruled out through injury, so the armband passed elsewhere and the attack ran through Désiré Doué - who hit the woodwork - with Michael Olise the game-changing substitute, curling in the 88th-minute winner after Ousmane Dembélé was also sent on. Aurélien Tchouaméni shielded the back line, and William Saliba and Dayot Upamecano kept Belgium at bay.
The Storyline: A Rivalry Rebooted in Brussels
These two have traded blows in the sport's biggest moments - the 2018 World Cup semi-final, the 2021 Nations League semi-final, Euro 2024's round of 16 - and France won them all. Then June 2026 happened: Belgium 2-1, a genuine statement win that ended years of French control in this fixture. Now the rivalry gets a second reset, because both benches have changed. Van Bommel wants Brussels to be a fortress from night one; Zidane wants his France to be brave away from home from the very start. Something gave on 28 September - and Olise's late strike tilted the rivalry back towards France.
Context: Belgium's 2026 World Cup run - group winners over, then Senegal and the USA beaten - ended only when eventual champions Spain needed an 88th-minute Merino winner. France went further but lost their semi to the same Spain side. Both squads returned believing the gap to the very top was one new-coach bounce wide.
Head-to-Head & Form
| Date | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| 4 Jun 2026 | Belgium 2-1 France | Belgium won the most recent meeting |
| 14 Oct 2024 | Belgium 1-2 France | Nations League |
| 9 Sep 2024 | France 2-0 Belgium | Nations League |
| 1 Jul 2024 | France 1-0 Belgium | Euro 2024 round of 16 |
| 7 Oct 2021 | Belgium 2-3 France | Nations League Finals |
France lead the all-time series, but the shape of this fixture is changing: Belgium have now won one of the last two, and the last time this fixture was played in Brussels, Belgium fell just 1-2 to a late France recovery. Add a new-coach bounce on both benches and the 3.76 on a Belgian win started to look generous.
How the Market Saw It
| Market | Odds |
|---|---|
| Belgium to win | 3.76 |
| Draw | 3.82 |
| France to win | 2.05 |
| Over 2.5 goals | 1.70 |
| Under 2.5 goals | 2.12 |
The market made France worthy favourites at 2.05, and that verdict held - but the 1.70 on over 2.5 goals proved wide of the mark as a disciplined Belgian block and cautious French approach produced a single goal. In the end, the only odds that mattered were Olise's.
Shop the Edit: Wear the Rivalry
Eight shirts below - both nations fully stocked, all 2026-27 editions in fan version with name and number options at checkout. Back Van Bommel's rebuild with the De Bruyne 7 away shirt, or mark the start of the Zidane era the only way that makes sense: his own number 10 on the new France home.
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Wear the New Era
Shop the Belgium and France 2026-27 shirts after the Brussels clash - the De Bruyne 7 away shirt and the Zidane 10 home edition lead the edit.
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