How France Overcame Belgium Thanks to Desire Doue’s Decisive Impact on the Pitch

Trailing after a 35th-minute strike from Dodi Lukebakio, France responded at the Stade de France. Introduced in the 72nd minute, Désiré Doué equalised in the 77th minute with a clinical angled shot. Moments later, Michael Olise set up Rayan Cherki to make it 2-1 in the 81st minute, capping off a complete turnaround in attack.

The Paris Saint-Germain winger maintained his brilliant run right until the final whistle. Désiré Doué first set up Michael Olise in the 88th minute for the third goal. In stoppage time, he dazzled the Stade de France with an audacious piece of skill, delivering another assist for the Bayern Munich attacker to seal an emphatic 4-1 win per the France vs Belgium official match overview.

That late flurry highlighted the struggles faced by the Paris Saint-Germain starters for over an hour. Handed a starting spot for his 71st cap, Ousmane Dembélé never managed to unlock the opposing backline. On the other flank, Bradley Barcola lacked accuracy in the final third, epitomising the duo's failure to unsettle the Belgium defence.

That lack of spark also affected Maghnes Akliouche, who was wasteful in the attacking third. Leading the line for his 3rd cap, Estéban Lepaul struggled to make an impact inside the penalty area before making way during the decisive substitutions.

This masterclass changes the dynamic for Zinédine Zidane in the UEFA Nations League. Goalkeeper Guillaume Restes and defender Leny Yoro both earned their first senior caps.

Meanwhile, Andy Diouf now sits on 2 caps. The decisive impact from the substitutes forces the head coach to rethink his priorities ahead of upcoming international fixtures.

The message rings just as loud for Luis Enrique at the Parc des Princes. Paris host Le Mans on Saturday, October 10, 2026.

The club then take on Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. Désiré Doué now makes a compelling case for a starting spot with PSG.