Mark van Bommel asserted that Belgium was not outperformed by France, even after conceding a late lead in a 4-1 defeat during the Nations League.
Belgium appeared to be on track for a remarkable win against Les Bleus, with Dodi Lukebakio’s goal in the 35th minute putting them ahead for a significant portion of the match.
However, substitutes from Zinedine Zidane’s side completely changed the momentum; Desire Doue leveled the score in the 77th minute, followed quickly by Rayan Cherki’s goal that put France ahead. Michael Olise then added two more goals to finish the match.
This marked Belgium’s second defeat against France in this international window, although they secured victories against Italy and Turkiye, leaving them with six points from four games in Group A1.
France dominated play overall, holding 65.6% possession, registering 23 shots—eight on target—and accumulating an expected goals (xG) tally of 2.0.
In contrast, Belgium had five attempts, landing two on target and achieving only 0.6 xG, with a mere 0.04 of that in the second half.
“We struggled with the French pressure at first,” Van Bommel remarked. “At times, we were a bit restless, but our organization improved, allowing us to take the lead with a brilliant goal—a fantastic pass from Romeo [Lavia] and a great finish by Lukebakio.”
“When we gained control, we managed to play well; unfortunately, those moments were brief.”
Thank you for your support in Paris. https://t.co/ehFziz7Zib
— Belgian Red Devils (@BelRedDevils) October 6, 2026
“France has immense quality in their squad, especially with their subs, and things turned quickly after that,” he continued. “Despite the scoreline, I don’t feel we were outplayed. While this defeat is significant, I’ve seen the players work hard and deliver impressive performances over the last two weeks.”
“It’s unfortunate that critical moments let us down, but there were more positives than negatives in these four matches.”
Currently, Belgium ranks third in Group A1, just one point behind Italy and four points shy of group leaders France.
In their next international break, they will face Turkiye before concluding the Nations League group stage at home against Italy on November 15.
Fan Take: This news highlights the competitive nature of international soccer, showcasing that even in defeat, teams can display resilience and promise. For soccer fans, it underscores the importance of learning from setbacks, as each match can significantly impact a team’s journey toward significant tournaments.
Source: www.soccernews.com
