Zidane bursts with joy after Olise's liberating goal

Zinedine Zidane erupted with joy when Michael Olise scored the decisive goal, giving a 0‑1 victory to France against Belgium on Monday in the Nations League, in front of the Blues and the bench where the manager struck a stray ball.

With a reshuffled France squad, only Mike Maignan and Maxence Lacroix were retained after the win in Turkey. The other starters gave way, including Bradley Barcola, who was substituted in the second half. This rotation was intended to test new options before the clash with the Red Devils.

An extraordinary celebration

When the ball rolled in front of the bench, the manager of the Blues struck it forcefully, overflowing with emotion. Zidane exulted unabashedly, letting out a cry of joy that echoed across the Belgian pitch. His gesture was described as liberating by observers.

The Blues dominated the match from the first whistle, but the nets remained empty for more than sixty minutes. Despite the possession, the attackers struggled to convert their chances. This deadlock heightened the tension until Olise's introduction.

Olise's late strike clinches France win in Nations League

Olise's decisive goal

In the 77th minute, Michael Olise replaced Bradley Barcola. In less than ten minutes, the Bayern Munich winger controlled the ball on his shoulder, then unleashed a left-footed shot like a cannon, sending the leather into Senne Lamens' net. The score thus moved to 0‑1.

Asked on TF1, the 1998 World Cup champion explained: « I’ve been with him, I saw him take off on dribbles, I thought he was going to score. In any case, I was fully behind him as well. » Bixente Lizarazu joked: « You were going to smash it! »

Zidane sacrifices Doué, France hopes for a Rennes surprise vs Belgium

Zidane concluded by reminding that the whole team had been deserving: « Throughout the match we were deserving, everyone is involved, that’s what we love. » This victory, although narrow, confirms the Blues’ ability to bounce back.