Van Bommel aims to finally beat France as Zidane lines up his B team

On September 28, Brussels' King Baudouin Stadium will host the Group A1 Nations League match between Belgium and France, with Mark Van Bommel at the helm of the Red Devils and Zinedine Zidane in charge of the Blues.

History of the duel and Van Bommel's objectives

This is the 79th encounter between the two sides, with an almost even record: 30 Belgian wins, 29 French successes and 19 draws. Van Bommel reminds that Belgium has not beaten France since 2015 and states, “It’s time to win again.” He wants to put an end to a run of defeats that has lasted eleven years.

Belgian changes after the victory in Italy

After the 0‑2 success in Italy, the manager adds two new faces to the starting eleven: Joaquin Seys and Roméo Lavia. “We are able to change a few players because we simply have a very good squad,” Van Bommel said. He retains most of the eleven that prevailed in Rome, with Senne Lammens between the posts, a defence made up of Timothy Castagne, Nathan Ngoy, Brandon Mechele and Seys, and the midfield led by Youri Tielemans and Kevin De Bruyne. Up front, Mika Godts, Diego Moreira and Charles De Ketelaere are confirmed.

Zidane bets on a B team

Zidane, in his second stint, makes nine changes compared with the win over Turkey. Only Maignan and Lacroix retain their starting spots. The starters for the first time are Jérémy Jacquet, Andy Diouf, Lucas Da Cunha and Esteban Lepaul, while Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembélé, Jules Koundé, Dayot Upamecano and Rayan Cherki remain on the bench. The French lineup is therefore: Maignan – Kalulu, Jacquet, Lacroix, Diouf – Camavinga, Da Cunha, Akliouche – Doué, Lepaul, Barcola.

Mark van Bommel sees his son benefit from a last‑minute forfeit

The match also represents a symbolic clash, the two coaches having been opponents on the pitch during their playing careers. Van Bommel, a former Belgian midfielder, and Zidane, a French legend, meet face‑to‑face as managers.

Belgium’s last triumph over France dates back eleven years, when a 3‑4 win at the Stade de France was sealed by a brace from Marouane Fellaini, complemented by Radja Nainggolan and Eden Hazard. Since then, France has always had the final word in the last five meetings.

Steven Defour says Nations League overloads Red Devils

While Belgium relies on its stable squad and the new arrivals to break the curse, France is counting on the depth of its bench to surprise the hosts. Monday night’s duel therefore promises to be decisive for the ambitions of both teams in the Nations League.