On Monday evening, two old rivals will clash once again as France takes on Belgium in their second UEFA Nations League match of the season.
France had a rocky start, losing 2-1 at home to Italy in their opener despite taking an early lead. Bradley Barcola scored the fastest-ever goal for France, but Italy managed to equalize and eventually win with two more goals in the second half. This defeat marked France's first home loss to Italy in 70 years.
Coach Didier Deschamps, who led France to victory in the 2021 Nations League finals, is now under pressure after a disappointing performance at Euro 2024 and a shaky start to this season. With only one game in, France is already three points behind their main rivals and needs to secure a win to stay in contention for the top two spots in Group 2.
Belgium, on the other hand, began their campaign with a strong showing. They defeated Israel 3-1 in a neutral venue in Hungary, with Kevin De Bruyne scoring twice. Despite missing a penalty, Belgium's win was solid, and now they are looking to build on this momentum.
Coach Domenico Tedesco is eager to put the disappointment of Euro 2024 behind him and secure a top-two finish in the Nations League, aiming to improve on Belgium's best-ever fourth-place finish from 2021 and set the stage for a strong run in the 2026 World Cup.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
After impressing at the Olympics, where France won silver, Michael Olise earned his first call-up and started on Friday. He’ll now compete with Ousmane Dembélé for a spot in the starting lineup.
Didier Deschamps also included Bradley Barcola in the squad against Italy, a decision that paid off, but has otherwise largely stuck with the squad from Euro 2024. Adrien Rabiot and Benjamin Pavard, however, have been dropped.
Following a game where France conceded three goals, Jules Koundé and Dayot Upamecano might get a chance to step in, while Marcus Thuram and Randal Kolo Muani could offer additional attacking options.
Belgium will be without their all-time top scorer Romelu Lukaku, who has been rested after joining Napoli, and Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is also missing due to an ongoing dispute with coach Domenico Tedesco.
Veteran defender Jan Vertonghen has retired from international football, and Arsenal's Leandro Trossard wasn’t selected, giving younger players like Maxim De Cuyper, Arne Engels, and Julien Duranville a chance to showcase their talent.
With Lukaku unavailable, Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku will once again support Lois Openda, the lone striker.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
France possible starting lineup:
Maignan; Kounde, Saliba, Konate, T. Hernandez; Kante, Zaire-Emery; Dembele, Griezmann, Barcola; Mbappe
Belgium possible starting lineup:
Casteels; Castagne, Faes, Theate, De Cuyper; Onana, Tielemans; Bakayoko, De Bruyne, Doku; Openda
EXPERT PREDICTION
France 2-2 Belgium
