'He’s a quality player' - Zinedine Zidane hails surprise Chelsea star after France edge past Belgium in Nations League clash

Belgium took control in the French capital when Dodi Lukebakio opened the scoring in the first half, courtesy of a spectacular assist from Lavia. The visitors maintained their advantage for nearly an hour, frustrating their hosts before a dramatic late collapse completely altered the course of the match.

Lucas Da Cunha finally broke the Belgian resistance, netting a deserved equaliser for Les Bleus in the 77th minute. The momentum shifted decisively just four minutes later when Michael Olise fired France into the lead. Desire Doue then capitalised on a fractured visiting defence, scoring twice in stoppage time to ensure the hosts retained top spot in Nations League Group A1.

While Zidane admitted his primary focus remained on his own squad, Lavia's creative influence proved impossible to ignore. The French manager was particularly impressed by the 22-year-old's vision in the build-up to the opening goal.

"I didn’t watch his individual performance because I was keeping an eye on my own players, but I really liked his pass," Zidane revealed. "I watched it again in the changing room at half-time, during the analysis. He’s a quality player."

Zidane also acknowledged the broader threat posed by the visitors, praising their overall squad depth. "But he’s not the only one in the Belgian team. There are plenty of them, even amongst those who came on as substitutes," he added. "They’ll always cause us problems when we face them again. We needed to show a reaction to win, and it’s good that we did."

Lavia's standout international display highlights his ongoing resurgence following a difficult start to life at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea invested £53 million to sign the midfielder from Southampton in 2023, but recurring injury issues restricted him to just 29 Premier League appearances across his first three seasons.

Having featured in four of the Blues' opening five league matches this term, his underlying potential is finally translating into consistent performances. Chelsea team-mate Cole Palmer has long championed the Belgian's ability, having played alongside him in the Manchester City youth setup.

Speaking to Sky Sports last year, Palmer said: "I think he’s one of the best midfielders I’ve played with, to be honest. Everyone hasn’t seen it because he’s been injured, obviously I knew him at [Manchester] City. I think everyone will realise, I think he will be one of the best midfielders in the world."

Lavia will now return to club duties as Chelsea look to climb the Premier League table. Currently sitting 10th in the standings, the Blues host Bournemouth in west London this Saturday.

Having endured a three-week break from competitive domestic action, Chelsea will be desperate to build immediate momentum. A fully fit and firing Lavia could prove crucial to establishing control in midfield as they navigate their return to the league calendar.