Life Without KM7: How Michael Olise and Zidane’s New Trident Conquered Brussels

When Kylian Mbappé was ruled out of France’s UEFA Nations League clash against Belgium due to a left knee hyperextension, the spotlight fell squarely on how Zinédine Zidane would reconstruct Les Bleus’ attack. Rather than relying on familiar hierarchies, Zidane shocked observers by orchestrating a sweeping tactical rotation in Brussels: nine changes from the side that defeated Turkey, handing starts to Estéban Lepaul at center-forward, flanked by Désiré Doué and Bradley Barcola.

The Experimental Trident: Doué, Lepaul, and Barcola

Without their captain and all-time leading talisman, France lined up in a dynamic 4-3-3 featuring three debutants—Jérémy Jacquet, Andy Diouf, and Lucas Da Cunha—alongside a revamped offensive frontline. Estéban Lepaul, earning his first senior international start as the central focal point, provided relentless defensive work rate and physical pressing against Belgium’s backline.

On the flanks, Désiré Doué and Bradley Barcola stretched the pitch horizontally, pinning Belgium’s full-backs deep into their half. While Les Bleus lacked the individual box threat that Mbappé provides, the starting trident maintained an intense defensive discipline that suffocated the Red Devils’ midfield creators throughout a tense and combative 65 minutes.

Zidane’s Masterclass in In-Game Management

Recognizing that the starting frontline had exhausted Belgium’s central defense, Zidane unleashed his decisive tactical cards in the second half. At the 68th minute, Ousmane Dembélé was introduced for Lepaul to add pace and unpredictability through the center. Nine minutes later, at the 77th minute, Zidane deployed a double substitution that would win the match, replacing Barcola with Michael Olise and Maghnes Akliouche with Rayan Cherki.

The impact was immediate and devastating. In the 88th minute, with the contest seemingly destined for a stalemate, France launched a lethal counter-attack. Cherki gathered the ball at the midfield line and slipped an incisive pass to Olise. The Bayern Munich winger controlled with his shoulder, burst past Maxim De Cuyper on the right wing, cut inside on his favored left foot, and whipped a clinical low strike into the far corner past Senne Lammens.

Tactical Implications for Mbappé’s Return

The 1-0 victory at the King Baudouin Stadium represents a massive validation of France’s collective depth under Zidane. In back-to-back 1-0 wins, Les Bleus proved they can grind out results in hostile environments without depending solely on Mbappé’s heroics.

For Mbappé, currently rehabbing his knee in Madrid with his sights set on the October 25 Clásico, this collective maturity is ideal news: upon his return, the captain will re-integrate into a squad boasting diverse offensive solutions and proven tactical versatility.