On Friday evening at the Parc des Princes, the French team faced Italy in the opening match of the new Nations League A campaign.
Deschamps’ squad was determined to make a strong start and lift the spirits of their fans following their disappointing exit in the Euro semifinals, where they were defeated by eventual champions Spain.
This French lineup features fresh faces, bringing renewed energy to the side. Meanwhile, Belgium has had a tough time against France for over six years, including a painful loss in the 2018 World Cup semifinals.
France has been a constant challenge for Belgium, notably defeating them in the 2021 Nations League semifinals in Italy. Despite Belgium leading 2-0 at halftime, France turned the game around to win 3-2.
Another setback for Belgium came this summer in the Euro Round of 16, where they were defeated 1-0 by a late goal from Kolo Muani. Belgium kicked off their current Nations League campaign with a home match against newly promoted Israel.
In 15 of Belgium’s last 18 league games, at least one team kept a clean sheet, and both meetings with France last season ended in goalless draws.
Similarly, eight of France’s last 15 home games have also featured clean sheets, suggesting that fans hoping for a high-scoring affair might be left disappointed.
Prediction
Before their most recent Nations League match, France had shown strong home form, winning 13 of their last 18 games in all competitions.
In contrast, Belgium’s recent performances have been inconsistent, with three wins, four draws, and three losses in their last ten matches.
Predicted score: France 0-0 Belgium.
