Ousmane Dembélé has now gone four straight France games without a goal or assist, but Zinedine Zidane surprisingly praised his captain after the 4-1 Nations League win over Belgium.

Zidane Makes Surprising Dembélé Statement After France Star’s Difficult Night Against Belgium

Ousmane Dembélé endured another difficult night for France against Belgium, but Zinedine Zidane delivered a surprising response by strongly defending his captain after the 4-1 victory.

France eventually produced a brilliant comeback in the Nations League, scoring four times to beat Belgium.

But Dembélé was unable to take advantage of the attacking success.

The France captain has now gone four consecutive international matches without scoring or providing an assist.

Dembélé struggles again for France

Dembélé started against Belgium and wore the captain’s armband in Kylian Mbappé’s absence.

However, he struggled to make a major impact on the game.

The winger failed to score or create a goal before being substituted during the second half.

His latest blank means he has recorded zero goals and zero assists in France’s first four matches under Zidane.

It is his longest run without a goal contribution for the national team since a nine-game spell between late 2023 and 2024.

Dembélé involved in Belgium opener

The night became even more difficult after Dembélé lost possession during the move that eventually led to Belgium’s opening goal.

France struggled for long periods before making changes in the second half.

When Dembélé left the pitch, some supporters reportedly showed their frustration.

It was another uncomfortable evening for a player who arrived in the international break with huge expectations.

Olise completely changes the game

The pressure on Dembélé increased because of what happened after Michael Olise entered the match.

The Bayern Munich star produced an outstanding performance from the bench.

He provided an assist and then scored twice as France completed a dramatic 4-1 comeback.

Olise finished with two goals and one assist, creating a clear contrast with Dembélé’s difficult performance.

Olise and Dembélé moving in opposite directions

The statistics under Zidane tell a striking story.

Dembélé has recorded:

0 goals and 0 assists in four matches.

Olise, meanwhile, has produced:

4 goals and 2 assists in four matches.

The former Crystal Palace star has contributed to at least one goal in every match under the new France coach.

That has increased debate over whether Olise deserves an even bigger role in the starting XI.

Zidane surprisingly defends Dembélé

Despite the criticism, Zidane strongly defended his captain after the match.

The France coach said:

“Our captain was exemplary.”

Zidane also said he believed Dembélé played well, especially during the early stages of the match and at the beginning of the second half.

The coach praised his movement and work on the right side and made it clear that he remains happy with the player.

Zidane continues to show his support

This is not the first time Zidane has defended Dembélé during the international break.

Before the Belgium match, the France boss was already questioned about why Dembélé appears more effective for his club than for the national team.

Zidane rejected the criticism and said he had few complaints about the winger’s performances.

His latest comments suggest Dembélé still has the full support of the France coach despite his poor attacking numbers.

Dembélé under growing pressure

The situation is becoming increasingly interesting because France have so many attacking options.

Dembélé remains one of the biggest names in the squad, but Olise is producing much stronger numbers.

Mbappé is also expected to return, creating even more competition for places.

If Dembélé’s goal drought continues, Zidane may eventually face difficult decisions over his attacking line-up.

France captain needs to respond

Dembélé’s club form has shown that he remains capable of deciding major matches.

But his recent performances for France have not produced the same results.

Four consecutive games without a goal or assist have now created questions around his international role.

For now, Zidane is standing firmly behind his captain, but the growing influence of Olise means the pressure will only increase.

A strange night for Dembélé

France left the Belgium match celebrating an impressive 4-1 victory.

Olise made history, the team produced a brilliant comeback and Zidane’s side continued their strong Nations League campaign.

But for Dembélé, the night told a very different story.

He extended his unwanted run to four matches without a goal contribution, yet still received major public support from Zidane, who described him as an “exemplary” captain.

The big question now is how long that support can remain unquestioned if Olise continues to deliver at such an impressive level.