France vs Belgium: UEFA Nations League – Olise, De Bruyne, teams and format

EXPLAINER

Only 1 constituent separates Group A1 leaders France and second-placed Belgium earlier Monday’s clash.

Who: France vs Belgium
What: UEFA Nations League 2026-2027, Group A1 match
Where: Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France
When: Monday astatine 8:45pm (18:45 GMT)
How to follow: Al Jazeera Sport volition bring you each the build-up and unrecorded updates from 15:45 GMT.

Two-time satellite champions France big Belgium successful the past of 4 Nations League games played implicit this extended planetary window.

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Monday’s clash successful Saint-Denis pits the apical 2 teams successful A1 against each different with France looking to implicit the treble successful this league signifier aft their archetypal triumph successful Brussels successful precocious September.

France and Belgium some participate this lucifer with their originative stars successful red-hot form. Michael Olise scored a extremity successful back-to-back matches portion Kevin De Bruyne’s treble steered Belgium to triumph past clip out.

However, Belgium volition person to bash without De Bruyne for the Les Bleus trial with the midfield sensation suspended alongside their captain, Youri Tielemans.

Here’s each you request to cognize astir France vs Belgium:

What is the UEFA Nations League?

The UEFA Nations League was founded successful 2018 to trim the fig of friendlies and springiness nations competitory matches against arsenic ranked teams.

In this competition, countries from crossed Europe enactment successful a league operation that features promotion and relegation.

How does the UEFA Nations League work?

The teams vie crossed 4 divisions, facing each different squad successful their radical twice: erstwhile astatine location and erstwhile away. The league signifier ends successful November.

In the top-most league, League A, the apical 2 teams from each radical spell done to the quarterfinals, which volition instrumentality spot successful March.

The finals volition again beryllium contested betwixt 4 teams. The big and the dates of the finals person not been confirmed yet.

How person France and Belgium played successful the Nations League?

France pb Group A1 with 7 points from 3 games.

• Turkiye 0-1 France
• Belgium 0-1 France
• France 1-1 Italy

Belgium are 2nd successful the radical with six points.

• Italy 0-2 Belgium
• Belgium 0-1 France
• Belgium 3-0 Turkiye

France vs Belgium: Head-to-head

• Matches: 79
• French wins: 30
• Belgian wins: 30
• Draws: 19

France vs Belgium: Form guide

France: D-W-W-L-L

Belgium: W-L-W-L-W

What person the coaches said?

Zinedine Zidane (France): “We ever privation to win. We are competitors. The astir important happening is to hole good for matches and to consciousness comfy connected the pitch. I americium precise satisfied with the mentality I person seen truthful far. I person wide convictions. I emotion the French nationalist team, and I person top-class players, but I cognize it volition instrumentality time. I americium precise blessed with what I person seen.”

French caput manager Zinedine Zidane has led the squad to 2 wins and a gully successful this year’s Nations League [AFP]

Mark van Bommel (Belgium): “France person an exceptional magnitude of quality. They’re a implicit team. In the archetypal match, however, we should person taken astatine slightest a point. So it is imaginable tomorrow. We person to beryllium apical successful each areas.”

Team quality and predicted lineups

France

Matteo Guendouzi and Dayot Upamecano are suspended, and Warren Zaire-Emery is retired with a thigh injury.

Probable France XI: Mike Maignan; Pierre Kalulu, Jeremy Jacquet, Maxence Lacroix, Adrien Truffert; Rayan Cherki, Lucas Da Cunha, Eduardo Camavinga; Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue

Belgium

De Bruyne and Tielemans are some suspended aft picking up 2 yellowish cards successful successive matches.

Probable Belgium XI: Senne Lammens; Timothy Castagne, Nathan Ngoy, Brandon Mechele, Maxim De Cuyper; Nicolas Raskin, Romeo Lavia, Hans Vanaken; Dodi Lukebakio, Charles De Ketelaere, Mika Godts