Zidane Revealed the Secret: How Did France Make It 4:1 in 13 Minutes?

The French national team trailed against Belgium for a full half in the UEFA Nations League. However, the picture on the pitch changed completely in the end — "Les Bleus" scored four goals against their opponents in the final 13 minutes of regular time, securing a resounding 4:1 victory.

Zinedine Zidane made no secret of the main reason behind this turnaround after the match. The France head coach noted that the team knew they were capable of turning the game around even in a difficult situation.

Trouble in the First Half, a Response in the Second

The first half of the France-Belgium match was not easy for the hosts.

Belgium opened the scoring in the 35th minute thanks to a goal by Lukebakio. Although the French dominated possession and attacks, they failed to convert that dominance into goals.

France went into the break trailing 0:1.

But in the second half, Zidane's team returned to the pitch with a completely different attitude.

In the 77th minute, Désiré Doué leveled the score. Shortly after, Rayan Cherki put France ahead. The final minutes of the match turned into a showcase for Michael Olise.

Olise scored twice with accurate shots in the 88th and 90+1st minutes, setting the final score at 4:1.

Thus, after trailing 0:1 for an entire half, France finished the match with a 4:1 victory.

Zidane: "We Corrected Our Mistakes"

After the match, Zidane did not hide his team's shortcomings in the first half.

"Of course, there were difficulties, but that's part of the game. Such matches always happen. The most important thing is to correct the mistakes, and that is exactly what we did, playing a great second half."

According to the French coach, the team returned to the game after the break with a completely different approach.

"In the first half, we lacked a little something, but then we completely turned the game in our favor. That is a very pleasant feeling."

This comeback demonstrated that France is also mentally prepared. Despite trailing in the score, the team did not rush and progressively increased the pressure in the second half.

Substitutes Changed the Game

One of the most important decisions for Zidane in the match was the use of substitute players.

After Doué and Olise entered the pitch, France's attack revived significantly. In the end, it was they who played a decisive role in breaking through the Belgian defense.

Zidane himself explained the task assigned to the players who came off the bench.

"We knew we were capable of changing the fate of the match because they are high-skill players."

This statement reveals one of the key advantages of France's current squad.

The team does not rely solely on the starting lineup. There are players on the bench who can change the course of a match.

13 Minutes — Four Goals

France's comeback looks even more impressive in numbers.

77th minute — Doué.

81st minute — Cherki.

88th minute — Olise.

90+1st minute — Olise.

In other words, France scored four goals against Belgium within 13 minutes.

Such a result completely changed the script of the match. While Belgium led from the 35th minute until the 77th minute, they ultimately suffered a 4:1 defeat.

France Solidifies Its Lead

The victory over Belgium allowed France to bring its points tally in the group to 10.

After the 4th matchday, the standings look as follows:

Italy is in second place with 7 points. Belgium has 6 points. Turkey has not yet earned any points.

As for France, the main task was accomplished — the team emerged from a difficult match with three points and further solidified its leadership.

An Important Signal in the Zidane Era

The victory over Belgium means much more than just three ordinary points for France.

Because even when the team was trailing, they did not lose their playing style. As Zidane said, difficulties are natural in football, but the main thing is to draw the right conclusions from them.

France proved this in practice.

Instead of giving up after falling behind 0:1, the team increased the pressure. The substitutes changed the outcome of the match.

The result — four goals in 13 minutes and a 4:1 victory.

This is the most important conclusion for Zidane as well: not only the starting lineup, but also the substitutes in France can decide the fate of a match.

If "Les Bleus" can carry this spirit and confidence into upcoming fixtures, France's ambitions in the Nations League will naturally be even higher.