A brilliant individual goal from substitute Michael Olise secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory for France over Belgium in their UEFA Nations League Group A1 fixture at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels on Monday, September 28, 2026.
Olise entered the match in the 77th minute to replace Bradley Barcola and broke the deadlock late in the game. The Bayern Munich winger collected the ball inside his own half in the 88th minute, drove 65 meters toward the edge of the Belgian penalty area, and curled a precise left-footed strike past goalkeeper Senne Lammens into the bottom-left corner.
The dramatic late winner handed newly appointed France manager Zinedine Zidane his second consecutive victory since taking charge after the World Cup. The result keeps Les Bleus comfortably at the top of Group A1 with six points from their opening matches.
Zidane Shakes Up Lineup in Brussels
Following a 1-0 success away against Türkiye in his managerial debut, Zidane made nine alterations to the French starting lineup at the King Baudouin Stadium. Goalkeeper Mike Maignan and Chelsea defender Maxence Lacroix were the only players to retain their places from the previous fixture.
The visiting side also played without captain Kylian Mbappe. The Real Madrid striker returned to his club for treatment after sustaining a left-knee injury while scoring the winner against Türkiye.
Despite the heavily rotated squad, France created the better scoring opportunities during the match. Paris Saint-Germain player Désiré Doué struck the crossbar in the first half, while debutant Lucas da Cunha hit the post early in the second half.
Belgium Struggles to Break Through
Belgium, guided by new head coach Mark van Bommel, made only two changes from their 2-0 victory over Italy. Wingers Mika Godts and Dodi Lukébakio caused periodic trouble for an inexperienced French backline, but the hosts failed to turn their possession into decisive goals.
As the match neared its conclusion, it appeared destined for a scoreless draw until Olise produced his remarkable solo run and finish in the 88th minute, sealing all three points for the visitors.
Group Standings and Upcoming Fixtures
With six points, France sits alone at the summit of Group A1. Belgium and Italy trail three points behind, as Italy secured a 4-1 victory over Türkiye on the same night. Türkiye currently rests at the bottom of the group standings.
Les Bleus will return home to host Italy at the Stade de France on Friday for Zidane’s managerial homecoming, followed by a fixture against Belgium on October 5. Meanwhile, Belgium prepares to face Türkiye.
Match Lineups
Belgium (4-2-3-1): S. Lammens; T. Castagne, N. Ngoy, B. Mechele, J. Seys (M. De Cuyper 68′); R. Lavia (N. Raskin 85′), Y. Tielemans; D. Moreira (D. Lukébakio 63′), K. De Bruyne (H. Vanaken 63′), M. Godts; C. De Ketelaere (M. Fernandez-Pardo 85′).
France (4-3-3): M. Maignan; P. Kalulu, J. Jacquet, M. Lacroix, A. Diouf; M. Akliouche (R. Cherki 77′), L. da Cunha (M. Koné 90′), E. Camavinga; D. Doué, E. Lepaul (O. Dembélé 68′), B. Barcola (M. Olise 77′).
