France and Belgium secure opening Nations League victories

France and Belgium recorded away victories on September 25, 2026, during the opening round of the Nations League. France defeated Turkey 1-0 in Kocaeli in Zinedine Zidane's debut as head coach, while Belgium triumphed 2-0 over Italy in Rome, marking a successful start for new manager Mark van Bommel.

In Turkey, Kylian Mbappe scored the decisive goal for France in the 54th minute, though he was substituted shortly thereafter due to physical discomfort. In Italy, Roberto Mancini's return to the Italian bench ended in defeat. Belgium took the lead through Godts in the 20th minute, with Gianluigi Donnarumma making several key saves before Dodi Lukebakio sealed the 2-0 win in the 69th minute with a strike. Sources differ slightly on the timing of Mbappe's substitution, with AlphaNews reporting it followed his goal immediately, while Goal News Cy specifies the 59th minute.

The teams are scheduled to return to action on September 28, 2026, for the next round of fixtures.