France manager Zinedine Zidane turned to his bench in the 60th minute during the Nations League clash with Belgium, and the decision proved decisive as Michael Olise transformed a tight contest into a one-sided affair in a devastating ten-minute spell late in the match.
Ousmane Dembélé, wearing the captain's armband, had been a persistent threat for France but found himself increasingly shackled by Belgium's defense, who doubled and tripled up on him to limit his influence. When Zidane opted to bring on Olise as a direct replacement, Dembélé handed over the captaincy in a moment that appeared to catch his teammate off guard. Footage circulating afterward showed Olise accepting the armband with visible confusion, unaccustomed as he is to leadership duties on the pitch.
France had fallen behind before Olise's introduction, but the equalizer arrived through Désiré Doué, who had himself come on for Bradley Barcola. With the scores level, Olise began to dictate proceedings and ultimately settled the contest in emphatic fashion.
In the 80th minute, Olise glided past his marker down the right flank before delivering a pinpoint cutback for Rayan Cherki to convert. Seven minutes later, surrounded by multiple Belgian defenders tugging at him inside the box, he managed to generate enough power on a right-footed effort to deceive the goalkeeper and find the bottom corner. His third involvement came in the 90th minute, when a driving run through the center of Belgium's defense was picked out by Doué once more, and Olise finished with a single touch that slid beneath the goalkeeper.
The goal marked his fourth in his last four appearances for France, continuing a rich vein of form that has made him one of the most electric attacking talents in the current national team setup. His introduction alone appeared to energize the crowd, who reportedly rose in anticipation every time he received the ball, a reaction built on his performances throughout recent tournaments, including seven assists during the World Cup and a late winner against this same Belgium side in September.
Olise has occasionally drawn criticism for appearing laid-back on the pitch, but those who watch him closely argue that his calm demeanor reflects efficiency rather than a lack of effort. Rather than relying on an abundance of tricks, he is often praised for his simplicity on the ball — controlling it with purpose, dribbling with just enough touch to beat a defender or open a passing lane, and consistently selecting the most effective option when facing a decision in the final third.
Dembélé, by contrast, possesses a wider array of ways to unsettle defenders, though that versatility can sometimes slow his decision-making when he attempts to do too much. The pairing of the two forwards — one unlocking defenses through sheer unpredictability, the other through precision and control — has given France a dynamic attacking blend heading into their next assignments.
The win extends France's strong recent form and reinforces Olise's growing reputation as a difference-maker capable of altering matches in a matter of minutes. With Mbappé, Dembélé, Doué and now Olise all contributing to the attack, Zidane's side appear to have no shortage of attacking options as they continue their Nations League campaign.
Based on reporting from The Guardian (Zito Madu).