Bleus: unprecedented pass rate under Zidane redefines domination

Michael Olise gave France the victory in Belgium on Monday, scoring the only goal of the match (0‑1), and allowing the Bleus to claim their second win in the Nations League under the direction of Zinedine Zidane.

Since the arrival of the new manager, the Bleus have accumulated six points, but it is the control displayed in Brussels that translates into a pass accuracy of 92.8 % in the opponent's half, a record not reached in twenty years.

This statistic, provided by OptaJean, concerns the passes exchanged in the Belgian half of the pitch, highlighting the team's ability to retain possession and find a teammate beyond the midfield line.

Massive overhaul of the team

Zinedine Zidane has extensively refreshed his eleven compared with the trip to Turkey, with nine changes in the starting eleven and three players who had never worn the A shirt. This overhaul could have created misunderstandings or more technical waste, but it did not hinder the precision of the combinations.

“We were not afraid to go into the opponent’s half,” said Zinedine Zidane on TF1, highlighting the boldness of his setup. Bixente Lizarazu also praised the French technical superiority, confirming the feeling of collective mastery.

Zidane sacrifices Doué, France hopes for a Rennes surprise vs Belgium

Match context

Belgium, which had just beaten Italy convincingly, gave the French the opportunity to impose long periods of play. The Bleus thus dominated possession, creating numerous phases in the Belgian half.

The realization of this domination came thanks to the decisive contributions of Cherki and Michael Olise, the latter scoring the winning goal. Their intervention confirmed that precision could turn into a result.

Zidane had announced he wanted a team capable of taking the game on its own terms, emphasizing quick ball circulation with drills limited to three touches. The performance in Brussels satisfied this project, the new lineup meeting the coach’s requirements.

Zidane refuses Belgium to wait for Deschamps' mandate

The upcoming matches will allow us to see whether this precision will be accompanied by more chances, thus giving the Bleus the opportunity to turn their domination into additional goals.