Belgium v France – The most valuable XI ever from players from both nations

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8 French players make XI 

The Nations League is hardly a competition that has football fans hysterical with excitement, but it does pose the habit of pitting some of Europe’s historically biggest footballing nations against one another outside of the typical setting of a major international tournament. On Monday evening, the back end of Belgium’s ‘Golden generation’ take on 2018 World Cup winners France in the Group A2 in the qualification competition.

Both sides have one win from their opening two games and trail group leaders Italy by three points. This tie also brings with it a historic rivalry of neighbouring nations that goes back decades. In total, Belgium and France have locked horns on as many as 77 occasions since 1904, which has seen the Belgians pick up 30 wins, the French win 28 and 19 draws between them. But which of the two European heavyweights have produced the most valuable players over the past few decades? 

Since Transfermarkt began recording market values back in 2004, there have been as many as 10 players from Belgium and France that have broken the €100 million barrier: seven from France and three from Belgium. Eden Hazard (€150m in 2018), Kevin De Bruyne (€150m in 2018), and Romelu Lukaku (€100m in 2018) are the representatives from their nation. For France, Kylian Mbappé hit €200m in 2018, with Antoine Griezmann hitting a record market value of €150m and Ousmane Dembélé reaching €120m. Four French midfielders have reached €100m – Eduardo Camavinga and Aurélien Tchouaméni currently, and Paul Pogba and N’golo Kante in 2019 and 2018 respectively.

When we collate the most valuable XI from the record market values from both Belgian and French stars, it makes quite the team. Incredibly the XI would boast a market value of €1.21b. In the sticks is Belgian shot-stopper Thibaut Courtois who reached a market value of €75m back in 2020. The entire back four is French, with Lucas Hernández (€70m) at left-back, Raphaël Varane (€80m) and William Saliba (€80m) at centre-back, and Jules Koundé (€60m) at right-back. 

Two of the midfield three are current Real Madrid Frenchmen in Tchouaméni (€100m) and Camavinga (€100m). Both players currently still hold that market value. With that pair is Belgian legend De Bruyne who reached his highest market value of €150m back in 2018. The front three is some prospect. On the left Hazard (€150m), through the middle Mbappé (€200m), and on the right Griezmann (€150m).