Van Bommel misses Mbappé for Nations League clash against France

Mark van Bommel looks forward to the Nations League‑clash between Belgium and France, but regrets that Kylian Mbappé will not be available due to a knee injury. The Red Devils coach emphasizes that he would have liked to see the French superstar opposite him.

Coach Van Bommel on the absence

During the press conference before the match against Les Bleus, Van Bommel said: “Actually I find it a pity. You would like to play against the very best footballers. I would have liked to have him there.” He makes clear that Mbappé’s absence does not change Belgium’s style of play.

Outlook for the match

Van Bommel nevertheless expects a particularly difficult match. France began the Nations League on Friday with a 0‑1‑victory over Turkey and, according to the Belgian national team coach, possesses an enormous amount of quality. “But that changes nothing about our style of play,” he said.

Van Bommel looks forward to meeting Zidane in the Nations League

The coach added that it is not a problem if one is outplayed once, as long as the team recovers with full commitment afterwards. He also sees chances, just like Turkey had on Friday. Belgium can try on Monday to continue the strong start under the new national team coach.