Belgium vs France: New Eras Collide as Van Bommel and Zidane Chase Second Win
Belgium will welcome France to the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels on Tuesday, September 29, with both sides looking to maintain their winning starts in Group A of the UEFA Nations League. With both teams collecting maximum points on matchday one, the focus now turns to which side can continue its momentum.
The encounter will also provide another glimpse into two new managerial eras. Belgium are now led by Mark van Bommel, while France have handed the reins to Zinedine Zidane, and both coaches enjoyed successful debuts during the opening round of fixtures.
Van Bommel began his tenure with a 2-0 victory over Italy, while Zidane marked his first game in charge of Les Bleus with a narrow 1-0 win against Turkey. Tuesday’s meeting therefore represents a significantly bigger test for both managers, with the two sides possessing enough quality to expose even minor weaknesses.
Belgium are entering a period of transition as they attempt to blend members of their previous golden generation with a new crop of emerging players. Kevin De Bruyne remains a key figure, but the squad also contains several younger talents who are expected to play an increasingly important role in the national team’s next chapter.
France, meanwhile, have undergone fewer changes under Zidane. The new head coach has retained much of the squad used by Didier Deschamps, meaning the core of the team remains familiar even as Zidane begins to introduce his own ideas and tactical demands.
The fixture is particularly significant for Belgium because it will be their first home match of the Nations League campaign. The Red Devils arrive with considerable confidence after going unbeaten in their last nine matches across all competitions, winning six of those encounters.
They will also take encouragement from France’s attacking situation, with Kylian Mbappe set to miss the match after experiencing fitness problems. His absence removes one of the biggest threats Belgium would otherwise have needed to contain, although Les Bleus still possess considerable attacking depth.
France, for their part, will be looking to build on their victory over Turkey while improving in the final third. Zidane’s side dominated possession in that match, but their chance creation was less convincing, finishing with 1.17 expected goals compared with Turkey’s 1.21.
That statistical detail underlines one of the main questions facing Zidane ahead of the trip to Brussels: how effectively can France create and finish chances without Mbappe? With the Belgium defence likely to offer a far more demanding challenge, France will need to find alternative sources of attacking threat.
Historically, France have also enjoyed the upper hand in this fixture. Les Bleus have won each of their last five meetings with Belgium, including their most recent encounter in the Nations League, and will be determined to extend that unbeaten run despite the challenge posed by a Belgian side playing on home soil.
Vivagoal expects a high-intensity encounter in Brussels, with Belgium unlikely to allow themselves to be outplayed in front of their supporters. France’s recent dominance in this fixture gives Zidane’s side a psychological advantage, but the absence of Mbappe and Belgium’s strong unbeaten run could make this a much closer contest than previous meetings.
Head-to-Head: Belgium vs France
October 14, 2024 – UEFA Nations League: Belgium 1-2 France
September 9, 2024 – UEFA Nations League: France 2-0 Belgium
July 1, 2024 – UEFA European Championship: France 1-0 Belgium
October 7, 2021 – UEFA Nations League: Belgium 2-3 France
July 10, 2018 – FIFA World Cup: France 1-0 Belgium
Predicted Lineups
Belgium (4-2-3-1): Lammens; Castagne, Ngoy, Mechele, De Cuyper; Raskin, Tielemans; Moreira, De Bruyne, Godts; De Ketelaere.
Head Coach: Mark van Bommel
France (4-3-3): Maignan; Kounde, Upamecano, Lacroix, Truffert; Cherki, Kone, Rabiot; Olise, Dembele, Doue.
Head Coach: Zinedine Zidane
Prediction
With both teams already sitting on three points, Tuesday’s clash carries added significance beyond the rivalry itself. Belgium will be looking to combine home advantage with their recent defensive resilience, while France must demonstrate that Zidane’s side can remain effective even without their biggest attacking star.
The tactical battle between Van Bommel and Zidane could ultimately decide which team controls the game, particularly in midfield and during transitions. Belgium’s momentum makes them difficult to dismiss, but France’s superior recent record in this fixture gives the visitors reason to believe they can leave Brussels with another positive result.
Prediction: Belgium 1-1 France.
