France beat Belgium 4-1 at Stade de France thanks to decisive entries from Doué, Olise and Cherki

Zinédine Zidane therefore ended up winning his first match at the Stade de France, Monday evening, against Belgium (4-1), after a disappointing first draw against Italy a few days earlier. But we had to wait until the hour mark to see the Blues play hard, having conceded the opener in the first period. The entries into play of Désiré Doué, Michael Olise and Rayan Cherki, all three scorers, will have single-handedly turned the match around and saved the double Z from a defeat that was almost hanging in their face.

On arrival, this third success in four matches makes the Blues the solid leaders of group 1, even if we will have to wait for official qualification for the quarter-final of the Nations League. Among the good news from this match, the superb performances of Leny Yoro (first cap in Blue) and Eduardo Camavinga. Among the eternal disappointments, Ousmane Dembélé completely missed the meeting (once again).

Maxence Lacroix (6/10): Also partly responsible for the Belgian opening score, letting Lukebakio slip behind the French defense, Maxence Lacroix had a relatively solid match despite everything. Interventions in the Belgian feet at the right moments, even if he is moved by Lukaku at the start of the match and lets him hit, the Chelsea defender is on the other hand still as skillful with the ball at his feet. Readily offensive when the game called for it, like this tumble on the left side where he manages to send a good cross for Lepaul, the boy is already one of the sure values ​​of this French team.

Leny Yoro (7.5/10): For a first in Blue, this is what we call a master class from the Manchester United central defender. After a very first ball that was a little hot on a “tumbled” back pass towards Restes, the former Lille player was perfect the rest of the time, coming to bite balls into the Belgian feet and cutting off any attempt at counterattacks through his reading of the game. It was again he who came to save his defense with a header on a very dangerous cross from Lukebakio in the first period.

Camavinga (7.5/10): Tested at the low point position in the mid-three, the Madrilenian is on the momentum of his very good match in Belgium. Author of numerous authoritarian interventions to cut off Belgian passes forward, the former Rennais showed himself to be just as skillful when it was necessary to make the play in the middle of the field. It's also him who makes a crazy defensive run to come and tackle the Belgian feet and take away from the Red Devils what could have been the goal of the break just before the break. We are very happy to find him at this level because we almost forgot what a fantastic ball player he can be.

Bradley Barcola (6/10): Great Barcola. Namely a poison on the left when it comes to bombing and leaving his opponent on the emergency lane, but also, and this is where the problem lies, still as much difficulty in finishing, as on this superb opportunity in the first period where the Liverpool player overflows and presents himself against Vandevoordt, but takes too long to strike and attempts an emergency dive ball when a back pass would have been much more judicious. Still as active in the second half, the former Parisian missed the equalizing goal with a tense shot at the edge of the area which grazed the Belgian post before giving up his place in the process.

Ousmane Dembélé (2.5/10): The great Ousmane Dembélé of PSG is asked for reception by Zinédine Zidane. And for the moment we remain hungry again (and again and again). Captain of the Blues in the absence of Mbappé, the monster of Paris Saint-Germain once again had his mouths trembling or his wires touching against Belgium on Monday evening. His first sausage sent into the sky of Saint-Denis after 45 seconds of play was only a foretaste of a match made up of too many technical fouls and missed dribbles. He could sometimes have favored the shift for Koundé on his right rather than using and abusing his left hooks which, most of the time, produced nothing. Sprig of coriander on the pudding: it’s him who loses the ball badly on the opening Belgian score…