Doué lit up the Nations League clash, giving France a 1‑0 win over Belgium on Monday night. The Paris winger earned a start in Rudi Garcia’s overhauled squad and drew praise from Stéphane Jobard, the Belgian assistant during the last World Cup.
Deprived of Mbappé, Dembélé or Olise, France turned to Doué to lead the attack against Belgium in Brussels. Paired with former club mate Bradley Barcola and Esteban Lepaul, the winger helped the young Zidane‑coached side dominate despite nine changes from the Turkey win.
Throughout the game Doué constantly threatened the Belgian defence, threading a dazzling dribble in the 12th minute and coming close to scoring at the 51st and 58th. Jobard, who served under Garcia until the 2026 World Cup, lauded the performance as a masterclass.
“Il a fait une prestation XXL, c’est la grande classe, avec une vitesse d’exécution dans le petit périmètre qui est incroyable”, a-t-il clamé dans les colonnes du Parisien.
Will Doué secure a regular spot when France faces Italy next week?
The former Dijon and Boulogne coach even drew a lofty comparison. “Every time I watch him, I feel like I’m seeing Michael Jordan,” he said. “I expect magic whenever he touches the ball, and he delivered.”
Et d’ajouter: “Si on s’attarde sur la finition, on peut être déçu mais c’est le catalyseur, c’est lui qui fait reculer toute la défense belge, qui offre des espaces aux autres. Il a joué un match de très haut niveau.”
Jobard judged the French display highly convincing, especially after Zizou’s bold opening. In my view, his admiration highlights Doué’s rapid rise. “I was blown away by the team’s collective quality despite little shared experience,” he added.
France will meet Belgium again next Monday at the Stade de France, 20:45, for the final fixture of this international break. Meanwhile, Zidane’s first home match in charge comes Friday against Italy at the same venue.