Belgium stunned host France 1-0 midway through their UEFA Nations League Group A1 showdown on Monday at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, with debutant goalkeeper Guillaume Restes beaten by a clinical Dodi Lukebakio finish in the 34th minute. The goal arrived on a night Zinedine Zidane had chosen to hand first caps to two young talents, turning what was meant to be a celebration into an early test of character for Les Bleus.
Restes' Rough Start
The final match of Zinedine Zidane's first international break in charge of Les Bleus saw two players make their senior international debuts: Guillaume Restes and Leny Yoro. The Toulouse goalkeeper and Manchester United centre-back both started for Zizou, who rotated his side for the return fixture against the Red Devils, a week after the 1-0 win in Brussels.
How the Goal Happened
Belgium sprung a surprise, opening the scoring after half an hour of play, as the visitors carved out a brilliant move behind the French defense, finding Lukebakio, who sprinted forward and finished clinically past Restes to net the opener. It was a brutal welcome to senior international football for the 20-year-old shot-stopper, who had been trusted with the gloves in just his second match involving the senior squad.
Yoro's Debut Alongside Him
Yoro's much-anticipated first cap came in the same backline that conceded the goal, giving the Manchester United defender an immediate taste of the physical, fast-paced test that comes with facing a Belgium side built around pace on the counterattack. The timing underlined just how demanding Zidane's selection gamble was from the opening whistle.
A Tense Second Half at Stade de France
Rayan Cherki created a dangerous opportunity by delivering a good ball to Michael Olise, who fired a powerful shot from outside the box that was saved, while Bradley Barcola kept trying to find a way to level the score without creating a genuine chance, leaving the home team trailing by a single goal deep into the contest. With the second half already underway at the time of writing, France were searching for the response that had rescued them against this same opponent just a week earlier.
What's at Stake in Group A1
The match carried real weight in the race to top the group ahead of the knockout quarterfinals. France led on seven points after three games, while Belgium had six, with Zidane's side having drawn 1-1 with Italy last time out and Belgium having defeated Türkiye 3-0.
The Group Picture Entering Matchday 4
Heading into the fixture, France sat in first place with two wins and a draw from three matches for seven points, Belgium followed with two wins and a loss for six points, Italy held four points, and Türkiye remained without a point. A Belgian win in Saint-Denis would have flipped the top two positions with one matchday remaining in the group phase.
Revenge Chance for the Red Devils
Belgium arrived in Paris looking to settle a score from the reverse fixture. Michael Olise's magnificent late strike had given France a 1-0 victory in Belgium in the Nations League as Zidane made it two wins out of two since being named coach. That result came despite Zidane's side making nine changes and missing captain Kylian Mbappé, who stayed with Real Madrid for treatment on a knee injury.
For Belgium, Lukebakio's strike offered a chance to avenge that late heartbreak in front of their own supporters a week earlier and show that their attacking talent, led by Romelu Lukaku and the in-form winger, could punish France even away from home.
What Comes Next
The result will shape seedings for the Nations League quarterfinals, where the top sides in each League A group advance to a knockout stage. Fans following the broader European picture can also track France's earlier meeting with Italy this window, part of the same push toward the knockout rounds covered across UEFA Nations League coverage this autumn.
For Restes and Yoro, regardless of the final outcome, the match represented a baptism by fire against one of the toughest attacking lineups in European football, the kind of experience Zidane has repeatedly said he wants his new generation to absorb early in his tenure.