Dembele to captain France against Belgium as Zidane praises his form

Ousmane Dembele will captain France against Belgium after Kylian Mbappe was ruled out through injury, with Zinedine Zidane preparing for his second match in charge of the national team.

The fixture also brings Zidane up against Belgium manager Mark van Bommel, a player he faced during his own career. The two were both outstanding midfielders, although their approaches on the pitch were very different.

“We are facing a team that also has a new coach,” Zidane said at his pre-match news conference.

“It is a good team that had an excellent World Cup last summer. They have many exceptional players, so we know this will be a very difficult match.”

Zidane smiled when asked about his former midfield opponent and the contrast between their styles.

“We did not really have the same style of play,” he said.

“He was the one who tackled me. But I loved his style. He had a lot of character and personality on the pitch.”

Belgian media have praised Van Bommel’s early impact, with one report stating: “Mark van Bommel has immediately set the Devils in motion.”

With Mbappe unavailable after being injured in the match against Turkey, Dembele will take on the responsibility of leading France. The Paris Saint-Germain forward is set to wear the captain’s armband against Belgium.

Zidane said Dembele’s influence extends beyond his formal appointment as captain, pointing to the role he already plays within the squad.

“He is my vice-captain. He fulfils his role even without officially being captain. You can feel it,” said Zidane.

“He is a good guy, always ready to help the others.”

Dembele had his playing time reduced at the start of the season because of an injury, but Zidane believes the forward is now operating at the highest level of his fitness.

“He has an incredible work ethic. He can easily play 90 minutes; he could even play every match,” Zidane said.

“That does not mean we are going to do it, but he is certainly capable of it.”