Van Bommel Vows Belgium Will Press High Against Zidane’s France
Belgium will not soften their aggressive game plan for France on Monday, with Mark van Bommel insisting his side will press high and seek control at a sold-out King Baudouin Stadium.
The Belgium coach wants De Rode Duivels to build on their 2-0 win away to Italy in Rome and claim consecutive Nations League victories in Group A. France arrive under Zinedine Zidane, while Kylian Mbappe will miss the Brussels fixture.
Belgium keep their attacking identity
- Belgium produced a 2-0 victory over Italy in Rome, with Van Bommel identifying the first 35 minutes as the level his team must reproduce consistently.
- During preparations for France, the coach praised the speed with which his players have absorbed the tactical work on the training pitch.
- Van Bommel said the plan remains to dominate possession and recover the ball rapidly, even against opponents of France’s quality.
- Belgium complete their final preparations in Brussels before Monday’s match, which Van Bommel sees as a 90-minute test of his side’s intensity.
“We want to play every time just like we played in Italy,” Van Bommel said. “We want to dominate against France as well, to win the ball back quickly. That will be more difficult than against Italy, but the idea remains the same. You can be outplayed, but that’s not a problem if everyone knows what to do.”
France challenge under Zidane
Zidane remains in charge of Les Bleus after Didier Deschamps left the post. Van Bommel faced the former France midfielder during his Barcelona career, in a 1-1 Clasico, and recognised Zidane’s standing as both a player and coach.
But Belgium’s coach believes France can be exposed. France beat Turkey 1-0 in their latest match, although Van Bommel noted that Turkey still found opportunities in front of goal.
“Zidane is an exceptional footballer,” Van Bommel said. “He has also won a lot as a coach. But it is not the case that they are always the best and always play good football. We have to be confident in ourselves.”
What happens next
Belgium now target a statement home result against France despite Mbappe’s absence from the visitors’ squad. France’s next Nations League assignment after Brussels is against Italy at the Stade de France on October 2.
