Belgium head coach Mark van Bommel has admitted that Youri Tielemans was not at his best during Belgium’s recent Nations League campaign, insisting that the midfielder still has another level he can reach despite his importance to the national team.
Tielemans has established himself as one of Belgium’s most influential midfielders and remains an important figure in the Red Devils’ plans. His ability to control possession, dictate the tempo and contribute both defensively and offensively has made him a key player for Belgium.
However, Van Bommel has acknowledged that the midfielder has not produced his best football in every appearance, with the coach demanding greater consistency from one of the most experienced players in the squad.
The comments come at a difficult moment for Belgium after their latest Nations League defeat to France. Belgium were beaten 4–1 at the Stade de France after taking an early lead through Dodi Lukebakio. France eventually turned the game around with four goals in the final stages, with Désiré Doué, Rayan Cherki and Michael Olise making the difference.
Tielemans, however, was not involved in that particular match. The Belgium captain was suspended alongside Kevin De Bruyne after both players collected yellow cards in previous Nations League matches.
That absence highlighted just how important Tielemans has become to Belgium’s midfield structure. Without him and De Bruyne, Van Bommel had to reorganise his midfield and rely on other players to provide the control and creativity normally supplied by the experienced pair.
The Belgian coach has previously spoken about the need for his team to improve its control of matches. After Belgium’s 3–0 victory over Turkey, Van Bommel admitted that his side had been too sloppy in possession despite winning comfortably. He stressed that Belgium needed to eliminate those mistakes if they wanted to continue improving.
For Tielemans, that message is particularly relevant because he is one of the players expected to set the standard for the rest of the team.
The midfielder has been given considerable responsibility since becoming one of Belgium’s senior figures, and his experience means the coaching staff expect him to influence matches even when the opposition makes life difficult.
Van Bommel’s assessment is therefore unlikely to be viewed as an attack on Tielemans. Instead, it represents the kind of demand a coach makes of a player who is already considered an important part of his plans.
Belgium need Tielemans to be at his best if they are going to compete with Europe’s strongest nations.
The recent defeat against France demonstrated the fine margins involved at international level. Belgium managed to stay ahead for a large part of the match, but France’s depth eventually became decisive. Reuters reported that France introduced Désiré Doué, Rayan Cherki and Michael Olise from the bench, and the substitutes played a major role in turning the match around.
For Belgium, the result was particularly frustrating because the team had worked hard to remain competitive.
Van Bommel later maintained that he did not believe his players had simply been overwhelmed throughout the match. He pointed instead to France’s quality and their ability to introduce fresh attacking players. He also praised the way Belgium had followed their tactical instructions for much of the game.
That makes the return of Tielemans even more important.
The Belgian midfield has several talented players capable of stepping into important roles, but Tielemans brings a combination of experience, passing ability and tactical intelligence that is difficult to replace.
He has also developed into one of the senior leaders of the dressing room. Belgium’s younger players can benefit from playing alongside someone who has already experienced major international tournaments and high-pressure matches at club level.
The coach’s expectations are therefore clear: Tielemans cannot simply be an experienced player in the squad. He has to be one of the players who drives Belgium forward.
When Tielemans is controlling the midfield, Belgium can play with greater rhythm and confidence. His passing allows the team to move the ball through midfield rather than constantly relying on direct attacks, while his ability to arrive around the edge of the box gives Belgium another attacking option.
But when his influence drops, Belgium can become less effective in possession.
That is likely to be one of the areas Van Bommel will continue working on during the next international window.
Belgium currently remain in contention in Nations League Group A1 despite the defeat in Paris. France moved to the top of the group after the 4–1 victory, while Belgium remained among the teams competing for qualification for the quarter-finals.
The next matches will therefore provide Tielemans with another opportunity to respond on the pitch.
Rather than being a sign that Van Bommel has lost faith in him, criticism of Tielemans could ultimately demonstrate how highly the Belgian coach rates him. Coaches generally demand more from the players they trust most, especially when those players occupy important positions in the team.
Tielemans will now be expected to return stronger, sharper and more influential.
Belgium have already shown that they can compete with some of Europe’s best teams, but the defeat against France demonstrated that maintaining that level for the entire 90 minutes remains a major challenge.
With Tielemans available again, Van Bommel will hope his captain can provide the control and leadership required to prevent similar collapses in future matches.
For Tielemans himself, the message is straightforward: Belgium do not need him merely to participate. They need him to lead.
And if he can rediscover his best form, Belgium will believe they have a much stronger chance of challenging the top teams in Europe.