France continued their perfect start under Zinedine Zidane with a dramatic 1-0 win over Belgium in the Nations League. Michael Olise scored late to secure another clean sheet and keep France top of Group A1.

According to Reuters, Zidane made nine changes from the win over Turkey, with France also playing without injured Kylian Mbappé.

This article covers Olise’s late winner, France’s performance, and Zidane’s strong start.

France continued their perfect start under Zinedine Zidane with a dramatic 1-0 victory over Belgium in the UEFA Nations League. The match looked destined to finish without a goal, but Michael Olise changed everything with a brilliant late finish in Brussels.

France were without Kylian Mbappé, who missed the match after picking up a knee injury, while Zidane made nine changes from the team that defeated Turkey in his first game as France coach. Despite the changes, France created several good opportunities and controlled much of the game.

Belgium also had their moments, but France’s pressure eventually paid off. With the clock running down, Olise stepped forward and produced the moment that gave France another important three points.

France Push But Belgium Hold Firm

France started brightly and quickly showed their attacking intent. Désiré Doué came close to opening the scoring early when his effort struck the crossbar. That early chance set the tone for a match in which France repeatedly looked dangerous around the Belgian penalty area.

However, Belgium defended well and goalkeeper Senne Lammens played an important role.

Belgium also looked dangerous on the counterattack, meaning France could not simply throw everyone forward. With the score still 0-0 late in the game, Zidane turned to his substitutes for fresh energy.

Olise Changes Everything at the End

OLISE IS RIDICULOUS. 🇫🇷😭 https://t.co/vIhY1QTnkU

— Rising Stars XI (@RisingStarXI) September 29, 2026

The decisive moment finally arrived in the closing stages. Olise had only been on the pitch for around 11 minutes when he produced a superb individual effort to put France ahead.

Olise came off the bench in the 77th minute, replacing Bradley Barcola.

In the 88th minute, he collected the ball and drove forward from inside his own half.

After carrying the ball deep into Belgian territory, Olise finished with his left foot beyond Lammens.

The goal gave France a 1-0 lead with only minutes remaining.

Belgium could not find an equaliser, allowing France to leave Brussels with all three points.

The timing made the goal even more significant. France had spent much of the match searching for a breakthrough, and Olise provided it when the pressure was at its highest.

Zidane Starts With Two Straight Wins

The victory also gave Zidane a perfect beginning to his time in charge of France. After replacing Didier Deschamps following the World Cup, Zidane has now guided France to two wins from two Nations League matches. His first victory came against Turkey, where France also won 1-0.

Interestingly, France have achieved both victories without conceding a goal. The latest result was especially notable because Zidane made major changes to his starting lineup and had to manage the game without Mbappé.

France now sit at the top of Nations League Group A1 with six points, three ahead of Belgium and Italy. The result also gives Zidane valuable momentum as he begins shaping the team in his own way.

France Leave Brussels With More Confidence

This was not a match where France dominated the scoreboard from start to finish. Instead, they had to remain patient and keep creating chances until an opportunity finally arrived.

Olise’s late goal was therefore more than just a winner. It showed the value of having quality options on the bench and gave Zidane another positive result during the early stage of his France tenure.

For Belgium, the defeat will be frustrating after keeping France scoreless for almost the entire match. For France, however, another clean sheet and another three points provide a strong start to their Nations League campaign.

The next challenge will be Italy in Paris, while Belgium will look to respond against Turkey.