France produced a remarkable late comeback in Paris on Monday, overturning a 1-0 deficit against Belgium to secure a commanding 4-1 victory in the Nations League. For 76 minutes, the hosts appeared to be heading towards a disappointing defeat despite dominating large periods of the match. Then, in a remarkable 14-minute spell, everything changed.
The result strengthened France’s position at the top of Group A1, while giving manager Zinedine Zidane plenty to celebrate after his side showed both patience and attacking quality when the pressure was at its highest.
France began the match on the front foot, controlling possession and repeatedly pushing towards the Belgian penalty area. Their attacking pressure, however, did not translate into goals during the opening stages. Several promising moves broke down in the final third, with Esteban Lepaul among those unable to make the most of his opportunities.
Belgium, meanwhile, looked dangerous whenever they were able to break quickly. Their approach paid off in the 35th minute when Dodi Lukebakio finished a swift counter-attacking move to put the visitors ahead.
France continued to press after the interval, but Belgium managed to withstand wave after wave of pressure. The hosts were creating openings without finding the decisive touch, and the longer the game remained 1-0, the greater the sense of frustration grew.
Zidane responded by making a series of attacking changes. Michael Olise, Luca da Cunha and Rayan Cherki were introduced in the 60th minute, followed by Désiré Doué 12 minutes later. Those substitutions proved decisive.
Doué levelled the contest in the 77th minute, finally giving France the breakthrough they had been chasing. Just four minutes later, Cherki completed the turnaround by putting France 2-1 ahead.
Belgium then struggled to cope with the momentum generated by the French attack. Olise struck in the 88th minute to extend the lead before adding another goal in the first minute of stoppage time. In the space of just 14 minutes, France had transformed a potential defeat into a comprehensive 4-1 triumph.
The dramatic turnaround delighted Zidane, who said the ability to correct mistakes and reorganise after a difficult first half had been central to the victory.
“What happened tonight is football, and it is what we love,” the France manager said. “We had some problems in the first half, but that is part of the game. Sometimes matches develop like that.”
Zidane was particularly pleased with the response after the break. France had created opportunities in the opening period but lacked the finishing touch needed to capitalise on them. Their second-half performance was markedly different.
“It is always good to correct things after making mistakes, and that is exactly what we did in an outstanding second half,” he said. “In the first half, we were just missing by very little time and again. But afterwards we turned the match around, and that was excellent.”
The France manager also acknowledged the impact of his substitutes, while stressing that the victory could not be attributed to those who came off the bench alone. The changes provided fresh energy and attacking impetus, but Zidane viewed the result as the product of a broader team effort.
“We knew the substitutes could change the course of the game. They are high-quality players,” he said. “But again, this was a complete team performance. The substitutes made a difference when they came on, but everyone has played well over the past two weeks. Each player has played their part, and that is what stands out most to me.”
The victory leaves France firmly at the summit of Group A1 with 10 points from four matches. Their campaign includes two wins over Belgium, a victory against Turkey and a draw with Italy. Italy sit second with seven points from the same number of games.
Olise, one of the key figures in the comeback, also highlighted the collective nature of France’s performance. He credited Zidane’s tactical approach and said the players had been able to translate the manager’s ideas into performances on the pitch.
“It was a collective effort,” Olise said. “He brings new ideas and we follow them. We have done that well over the last four matches and we will continue in the same way.”
France’s victory was therefore about more than simply recovering from a one-goal deficit. It demonstrated their ability to remain composed when chances were not being converted and to respond decisively once the breakthrough finally arrived. Belgium had controlled the scoreboard for more than an hour, but France finished the night with four goals and a statement victory at the top of their group.
