UEFA Nations League: Zidane's France Starts Strong, Belgium Defeats Italy

The 2026/27 UEFA Nations League commenced with an eventful Matchday 1, featuring victories for the new coaches of France and Belgium. Kylian Mbappé scored the only goal for France, securing a 1-0 win over Türkiye, while Belgium triumphed 2-0 against Italy in Rome.

Zinédine Zidane, who recently took charge of the French national team, watched as Mbappé found the net in the 54th minute, after being set up by Michael Olise. Despite this promising start, the match was marred by an injury to Mbappé, who left the field in visible distress and was replaced by Désiré Doué. Zidane, a 1998 World Cup champion, made his managerial return following a hiatus since 2021, with high hopes for Les Bleus following their World Cup semifinal exit last year.

Belgium’s head coach Mark van Bommel also enjoyed a winning debut, as his team claimed their first Nations League win against Italy. Mika Godts scored the opening goal in the first half, capitalising on a pass from Kevin De Bruyne. Despite Italy's Gianluigi Donnarumma making impressive saves, substitute Dodi Lukébakio sealed the victory with a striking solo goal.

Other notable results included a 1-1 draw between Germany and the Netherlands, with Cody Gakpo scoring late for the Dutch. Norway edged past Denmark in a thrilling encounter, thanks to two goals from Erling Haaland, while Portugal maintained their form with a 1-0 win against Wales.

Friday’s results were as follows:

• Italy 0-2 Belgium
• Türkiye 0-1 France
• Georgia 0-1 Northern Ireland
• Hungary 0-1 Ukraine
• Poland 0-0 Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Sweden 2-1 Romania
• Armenia 2-0 Latvia
• Montenegro 2-1 Cyprus

Looking forward to the next fixtures, France will face Belgium in Brussels on Monday, while Italy will seek redemption against Türkiye. All eyes will be on Mbappé’s recovery as fans await updates on his injury status, especially with France set to play three more matches in the coming days.

As the tournament progresses, the focus will be on how Zidane and van Bommel adapt to their roles and how their respective squads execute on the pitch in this highly competitive league.