France will take on Belgium in their second UEFA Nations League fixture on Monday at the Stade Roi Baudouin, aiming to make it two wins from two in the competition.
Les Bleus continue to be regarded as one of Europe’s leading international teams, even as they begin a new era under manager Zinedine Zidane. France opened their Group A1 campaign with a controlled 1-0 victory over Türkiye, giving them an ideal start. Their latest major tournament run also saw them reach the semi-finals of the 2026 World Cup, where they were eventually eliminated by Spain, who went on to lift the trophy. France will also take confidence from their excellent record against Belgium, having won each of their last five meetings over the past decade.
France team news
France will have to cope without captain Kylian Mbappé for this important encounter. The forward hyperextended his left knee soon after scoring the winning goal against Türkiye and has since returned to Madrid to continue his rehabilitation.
His absence means Zidane is expected to make changes to the attacking setup. Ousmane Dembélé could move into the central striker role, with Michael Olise and Désiré Doué likely to operate on either side of him in a youthful and energetic front three.
The midfield is expected to feature Manu Koné, Adrien Rabiot, and Rayan Cherki, combining strength, creativity, and attacking intent.
Mike Maignan should continue in goal, while Dayot Upamecano and Maxence Lacroix are tipped to start at the heart of the defence.
Jules Koundé and Adrien Truffert are expected to occupy the fullback positions, giving France additional protection against Belgium’s wide threat.
France predicted lineup
Possible France starting XI: Maignan; Kounde, Upamecano, Lacroix, Truffert; Cherki, Kone, Rabiot; Olise, Dembele, Doue
When will the match kick off?
The match will kick off at 7:45pm BST on Monday, 28th September.
How to watch Belgium vs France?
UK viewers can watch the Belgium vs France UEFA Nations League fixture online through Amazon Prime Video Pay-Per-View (PPV).
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