The AS Monaco suffered a devastating defeat against Club Bruges on his trip to Belgium on 18 September, falling on the score of 4-1. The Monegasque team, deprived of Denis Zakaria and displaying a vulnerable defense, conceded three goals from the first half. Despite a comforting goal from Ansou Fati, the overall performance was disappointing, sparking indignation from the French press, including L’Équipe, which described the meeting as a “missed match” after a penalty not transformed into the beginning of the game. In contrast, the Belgian press, such as Spoorzas and La DH Les Sports+, celebrated the victory of Bruges, describing it as a “truthful lesson” inflicted on Monaco and highlighting the excellence of Hans Vanaken, captain Brugeois. Monaco’s coach, Adi Hütter, apologized for this disastrous performance and will soon have to find tactical solutions for the next match against Metz.

At the same time, the French Football Federation (FFF) has announced the list of 21 young players selected for the U20 World Cup in Chile, which will take place from 27 September to 19 October. Several Ligue 1 clubs have allowed their young talents to participate in this competition outside FIFA dates. Among these young players are players from Monaco such as Bradel Kiwa, Ilane Touré and Lucas Michal, as well as players from other clubs such as PSG (Noham Camara and Quentin Ndjantou), OM (Darryl Bakola and Tadjidin Mmadi), and ASSE (Djylian N’guessan). OL did not allow Khalis Merah and Enzo Molebe to compete. Zinedine Zidane’s son, Elyaz, who was active in Betis Seville, was also included in this list.

The Club Bruges, after its victory against Monaco, expressed its satisfaction at the press conference, despite the injury of goaltender Simon Mignolet. Coach Nicky Hayen highlighted the performance of his team, while recognizing the importance of victory. This meeting highlighted the difference in level between the two teams, with Bruges demonstrating superior tactical and technical control. The participation of many young French players in the U20 World Cup reflects the current talent pool of French football and the importance of these competitions for the development of young players.