Wind for Red Devils thanks to Dutch stubbornness, Turkey crucial

Peter Vandenbempt, analyst at Radio 1, signals a fresh wind at the Red Devils after an impressive victory in Italy and a narrow defeat against a dominant France. He points to the Dutch swagger that now characterises the team and emphasises that the upcoming match against Turkey is crucial for the good feeling.

First two internationals

After the win over Italy, in which Belgium controlled the ball well, a very tight defeat against France followed. The French held 65 % of possession and scored in the final minutes through Michael Olise. Vandenbempt notes that the match was not inevitably lost in the penultimate minute, but that a better positioning of Olise could have changed the outcome.

French B‑team and match analysis

France fielded a B‑team, without Mbappé (injured) and with Dembélé on the bench. In the starting eleven were Olise, Cherki, and two centre‑backs who had hardly played before: Jaquet and Lacroix. Despite the absence of their star players, the French side unexpectedly dominated and made Belgium struggle to win the ball.

New identity and collective play

Vandenbempt sees a new identity emerging under coach Mark van Bommel. Belgium applied a high press early, tried to keep the line high and took risks in defence. Although the quality of the French often prevailed, the Red Devils performed strongly as a collective, with quick retreats and compact spaces.

Six Red Devils full, Lukaku returns, Fofana mystery, Mark van Bommel

Upcoming key match against Turkey

“Turkey is already a key match for a good feeling,” says Vandenbempt, who believes the game on Friday could be a turning point. “Our football commentator is currently optimistic, but points to a crucial match this coming Friday.” The expectation is that the Dutch swagger will give the team extra confidence against the Turkish opponent.

Overview of sport categories

The article is listed under the section Overview Football, Cycling, Tennis, Formula 1, Basketball, Athletics, calendar, Matches, Programs, Headlines, Jupiler Pro League, Challenger Pro League, Champions League, Europa League, Conference League. More information is available in a separate Article, which presents a One‑ball analysis of the match, in particular the possession statistics of the Van Bommel team.

Implications for the future

The positive balance after the first two internationals gives hope that Belgium, under the new wind of Dutch swagger, can achieve second place in the Nations League group. A strong performance against Turkey would confirm the collective confidence and lay the foundation for the next stages of the tournament.