Head coach Zidane celebrates first home win as France crush Belgium at Nations League

France head coach Zinedine Zidane gives instructions from the side line during the Nations League soccer match between France and Belgium in Saint-Denis near Paris, Monday, Oct. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Teresa Suarez)

France scored four times in the final 14 minutes to beat Belgium 4-1 in the Nations League on Monday, giving Zinedine Zidane his first home victory as national coach.Belgium looked on course for a surprise win after Dodi Lukébakio put them ahead in the 35th minute.

But France’s substitutes changed the game late on, with Désiré Doué, Rayan Cherki and Michael Olise scoring four goals between the 77th and 91st minutes.

France turn game around late

Doué levelled with a low shot in the 77th minute before Cherki’s effort took a strange deflection off Belgium goalkeeper Maarten Vandevoordt to put France ahead.Olise then scored twice in three minutes to complete a remarkable comeback.“Tonight, this is soccer, this is what we love,” Zidane said.

“We faced some difficulties in the first half but that’s part of the game; it’s the kind of match you get from time to time. It’s good to set things right — which is what we did — and we managed to play an extraordinary second half.”Zidane praised his substitutes and the overall team effort.“We knew the substitutes could change the game because they are high-quality players,” Zidane said. “But, once again, it was a complete team performance; while the substitutes might have made the difference when they came on, everyone has been good over these past two weeks — everyone played their part, and that’s what stands out to me.”

The result kept France top of Group A1, three points ahead of Italy, who beat Turkey 3-1. Belgium are third, four points behind France.“It’s a collective effort, too,” Olise said. "He (Zidane) brings in ideas, we follow them — we’ve done that well over the last four matches, we’re going to continue like this."

Italy and Sweden also win

Italy recovered from Turkey’s equaliser to win 3-1, with Gianluca Scamacca, Riccardo Calafiori and Pio Esposito scoring.Meanwhile, Victor Gyökeres scored again as Sweden beat Romania 1-0. It was his seventh straight Nations League match with a goal and his fourth of the campaign.Northern Ireland stayed top of Group B2 after a 0-0 draw with Georgia, while Hungary beat Ukraine 2-1.