Despite holding more of the ball, Belgium was severely outclassed by a stronger and more talented France side. One of the top fixtures in this iteration of the UEFA Nations League, at least based on the FIFA World Rankings, did not deliver. Two goals on either side of halftime for France confirmed that France, and many of the other European sides, are a class above.
Belgium played a strong side, with most of the players in Domenico Tedesco’s starting XI representing his best options. By comparison, France rested many of its top players after a convincing defeat at the hands of Italy. Kylian Mbappe, Bradley Barcola, Antoine Griezmann and Michael Olise sat and watched from the bench as Didier Deschamps’s side had no issue against Belgium. This game epitomized the fact that Belgium’s golden generation is now in the past.
The only holdover is Kevin De Bruyne. The Manchester City sensation was the focal point of everything positive Belgium put together. If Belgium was able to find any success away from the feet of De Bruyne, it came through Jeremy Doku. That should not be overly surprising. The two Manchester City players are the best that Belgium has to offer. However, the drop-off from those two to the rest of the squad is alarming.
Playing against Kylian Mbappe certainly exacerbated those issues. As soon as Deschamps brought on the Real Madrid forward alongside Barcola, Belgium was formally out of the game. Had it not been for several saves from Belgium goalkeeper Kevin Casteels, this game could have been far worse than a standard 2-0 win. Every statistic, except for that of possession, leaned in favor of France. Deschamps’s side had 25 shots with 10 of those finding the target. Belgium eventually worked out eight shots, but just four of those tested Mike Maignan. More often than not, these were comfortable saves that the AC Milan goalkeeper swallowed up without aplomb.
With the game approaching the final whistle, cameras captured a bit of frustration from Kevin De Bruyne. Looking for the incisive pass that generally goes to club teammate Erling Haaland, De Bruyne had no option. Unfortunately for the Belgian captain, he is looking over a team in transition. Belgium, with a young head coach, is not a contender to win the World Cup, the Euros or even the Nations League. As things stand, Belgium is working to pick up valuable development and minutes for a team with players in need of time.
That showed against France, but it can still be a stepping stone for the future. In the current format of the UEFA Nations League, the top two teams from the four groups in League A advance. They play in the quarterfinals of the Nations League, which remains a possibility for Belgium. France and Italy may be the favorites in Group A2. However, positive results against Israel and perhaps stealing a game from either France or Italy could set Belgium on a path to those quarterfinals. That would give Belgium an opportunity to play meaningful competitive games, which is significant for such a young team.
Now, though, Belgium’s players return to their clubs before the October international break. Then, Tedesco and Belgium play challenging games against Italy and France, this time playing the French at home.
PHOTOS: IMAGO
