France produced a remarkable late comeback against Belgium, scoring four goals in just 14 minutes to overturn a 1-0 deficit and secure a commanding 4-1 victory in the UEFA Nations League. The result strengthened France’s position at the top of Group A1 and gave head coach Zinedine Zidane his first home victory in charge of the national side.
The hosts dominated possession from the opening stages in Paris but struggled to turn their control into goals. Ousmane Dembélé and Bradley Barcola both had opportunities, yet neither could find the finishing touch required to break the deadlock.
Belgium, meanwhile, proved far more clinical with one of its best opportunities of the first half. In the 35th minute, Roméo Lavia released Dodi Lukebakio with a precise through ball. Lukebakio moved into the penalty area before firing a powerful left-footed effort past the French goalkeeper to put Belgium ahead.
France went into half-time trailing 1-0, despite having controlled much of the play. The pressure continued after the interval, but the equaliser remained elusive as Belgium defended its advantage.
Zidane then turned to his substitutes in an attempt to change the course of the match. Michael Olise, Rayan Cherki and Lucas Da Cunha were introduced in the 60th minute, while Désiré Doué came on 12 minutes later. The changes transformed France’s attacking momentum.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the 77th minute. Da Cunha’s pass found Doué outside the penalty area, and the substitute produced a superb low left-footed strike to bring France level.
Four minutes later, France completed the turnaround. Olise created the opening with a cut-back, allowing Cherki to beat the Belgian goalkeeper and put the hosts 2-1 ahead.
Belgium were suddenly under intense pressure, and France continued to attack. In the 88th minute, Olise combined brilliantly with Doué before scoring his first goal of the night and France’s third. The French winger then completed his brace in the opening minute of stoppage time, finishing after Doué brought the ball down with his chest.
In the space of only 14 minutes, France had transformed a 1-0 deficit into a 4-1 victory.
Zidane praised his players after the match, particularly their ability to respond after a difficult first half. He said the substitutes had made a decisive difference, while also crediting the entire squad for the work put in during the previous two weeks.
Olise, one of the outstanding performers of the night, also highlighted the collective nature of the victory. He praised Zidane’s tactical ideas and said the players had been able to follow them effectively in recent matches.
The victory leaves France with 10 points from four matches in Group A1, according to the standings provided in the report. Belgium have six points from the same number of games, while Italy are listed with seven points. Türkiye remain without a point after four matches.
For France, however, the most significant takeaway was the manner of the victory. A side that had appeared close to suffering a home defeat suddenly produced four goals in a devastating late spell, underlining the impact of Zidane’s substitutions and the depth available within the squad.
