In Belgium, with the match slipping towards a scoreless finish, Zinedine Zidane briefly abandoned the composed image that has long followed him. When Michael Olise produced a late winner for France, the coach lashed out at a spare ball beside the pitch, an instinctive kick that captured the release of a demanding evening in the UEFA Nations League.
France defeated Belgium 1-0 in their second Group A1 fixture of the 2026/27 competition, with Olise scoring in the 87th minute after a fine solo move. The No. 11 had come off the bench to settle a contest in which France controlled much of the play but were made uneasy by Belgian counter-attacks after the interval.
Zidane, whose side had also beaten Turkey 1-0 in the opening round, made nine alterations to the team that began that earlier victory. The changes did not prevent France from taking command for long periods, although the visitors needed to withstand two or three promising Belgian opportunities before Olise found the decisive moment.
Olise earns Zidane’s admiration
The France coach described Olise as a player of exceptional natural ability, placing him among the leading figures in a squad also shaped by Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé. Zidane said the attacker plays with the desire to entertain, but stressed that his value reaches beyond flair.
“He has pure talent,” Zidane said. “He understands the game: he reads situations early, knows when to take a risk and when to hold back. I am very happy to work alongside him and to watch him play in this way.”
For Zidane, the result reflected France’s overall authority. “We were the dominant team and, over the full match, the win was deserved,” he said. “They could have changed things with a couple of chances, but our performance merited that goal.”
He was equally pleased with the attitude shown by a heavily reshaped side. France pressed effectively, pushed into Belgian territory and, in Zidane’s view, refused to retreat when the hosts found more space in the second half.
“We were courageous and did not fear playing in their half,” he said. “There were some difficult spells, which is understandable after making nine changes. The important thing is that everyone is involved.”
The win gives France a second successive 1-0 result to begin their Nations League campaign, while Olise’s late intervention supplied both the points and an unusually visible flash of emotion from the man on the touchline.
