Belgium loses to France: Van Bommel: I am proud of my players

Belgium lost 1-4 to France in the fourth round of the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League group stage, taking an early lead thanks to a first-half goal from Lukebakio. However, they conceded several goals in the second half and ultimately lost. Coach Van Bommel stated that although they couldn't achieve the desired result, he was still proud of his players' performance.

Lavia launched a long pass in the 35th minute, and Lukebakio received the ball, entered the penalty area, and slotted it home, giving Belgium a 1-0 lead. In the 77th minute of the second half, Dacuña passed the ball across the box, and Dué, positioned at the edge of the penalty area, received it and fired a long-range shot into the net, leveling the score at 1-1 for France.

In the 81st minute, Olise assisted Rajen Sergiu to score, putting France ahead 2-1. In the 88th minute, Olise received a pass back from Duai and scored with a low shot, extending France's lead over Belgium to 3-1.

In stoppage time of the second half, Duet played a through ball into the penalty area, and Olise fired a low shot into the net, extending France's lead to 4-1. Ultimately, Belgium lost 1-4 to France at the Stade de France.

Belgium coach Mark van Bommel said in an interview, "For a long part of the game, we were able to play on par with the semi-finalists from the previous World Cup. The first 10 minutes were indeed difficult, but things improved after that. We were able to control possession and our overall organization was excellent. We showed a lot of great teamwork and also scored a very exciting goal."

"France is very strong, and their substitutes played a decisive role; they move incredibly fast. However, I am satisfied with what we showed and proud of my players."

Van Bommel also said, "I've only been here for two weeks, and of course the last 15 minutes of the game were regrettable. But looking back at my four games in charge of Belgium, I think the positives outweigh the negatives."

In addition, French striker Olisse, who plays for Bayern Munich, said, "I think we played well in the final stages of the game. The first half was more difficult because it's always tricky to play against a team that plays deep defensively. But we kept going and eventually got a good result."

"Coach Zidane brings his ideas, and we just execute them. We've done well in these four games, and we'll continue to play like this. I'm always happy to represent the French national team."

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