Nicolas Raskin has received a major endorsement ahead of Belgium's clash with France, with former Red Devils international Marc Degryse naming the Rangers midfielder in his preferred starting midfield.
Belgium face a huge test against France on Monday evening, October 5 2026, with Mark van Bommel's side set to be without both Kevin De Bruyne and Youri Tielemans through suspension.
That has left the Belgium boss with decisions to make in midfield, and Degryse believes Raskin should be one of the players trusted to step into the breach.
Mark Walters recalls ‘scary’ Rangers debut as pig’s foot and dart were thrown at Celtic Park
The former Belgium international has called for a midfield three of Hans Vanaken, Raskin and Romeo Lavia, believing the combination could give Belgium the intensity required to compete with France.
“Vanaken, Nicolas Raskin and Romeo Lavia,” Degryse told Het Laatste Nieuws.
“I know that Van Bommel prefers to see one defensive midfielder in his starting lineup, but it is no disaster to play with two such profiles against an opponent like France.
“There are also few alternatives. Mandela Keita hasn't played a minute yet.”
Raskin tipped to play key role
The endorsement represents another significant moment for Raskin, who has established himself as an important figure for both Rangers and Belgium.
Degryse believes the Rangers midfielder's energy could be particularly valuable given Van Bommel's desire for his side to press aggressively and play with intensity.
“Van Bommel emphasizes that he always wants to play his own game, regardless of the opponent,” Degryse said.
“Well, that is certainly possible with Raskin and Lavia together in the team. One of them will also have to play a bit higher up the pitch and apply pressure.”
Raskin has developed a reputation for his work rate and ability to cover ground in midfield, making him a natural fit for the type of high-energy approach Degryse believes Belgium should adopt.
The Rangers star could therefore have a significant role to play if Van Bommel follows the recommendation.
Belgium warned to be more compact
While Degryse wants Belgium to maintain their attacking and pressing philosophy, he also believes they cannot afford to give France the same amount of space they conceded in their previous outing against Turkey.
He pointed to Italy's approach against France as an example of how Belgium could exploit moments after winning possession.
“Bastoni's Italian goal high up the pitch showed that France is vulnerable after recovering the ball,” Degryse explained.
“The Red Devils must try to exploit that. At the same time, the Belgians will have to play more compactly than against Turkey. It was too open and they gave too much away.
“You cannot afford that against France.”
The challenge for Van Bommel will therefore be finding the balance between maintaining Belgium's aggressive style and ensuring they are not exposed by France's quality in transition and Degryse believes Raskin could be central to that.
Rangers will be watching
Raskin's potential involvement is also of interest to Rangers, with the midfielder continuing to represent Belgium at international level.
The former Standard Liege star has become an increasingly important part of the Rangers midfield and a regular presence for his country.
A starting role against France would provide Raskin with another opportunity to test himself against elite opposition and demonstrate the qualities that have made him such an important player at Ibrox.
Degryse ultimately believes Van Bommel has the tactical flexibility to make Belgium more compact without abandoning his footballing principles.
“Van Bommel is not naive, you know. He won't be playing with that much space in Paris,” he said.
“Van Bommel has already proven, including at Antwerp, that he can make his teams tactically more compact without betraying his philosophy.
“In that respect, too, Raskin and Lavia can play an important role.”
Raskin’s Rangers future
Raskin's place at Rangers was one of the major transfer stories surrounding the club after the World Cup.
After impressing for Belgium in the summer tournament, the midfielder attracted interest from clubs across Europe before a dramatic reported late move to Besiktas fell through in September.
Raskin has since revealed just how close he came to leaving, admitting he was “mentally ready” for an exit and was sitting on the Rangers team bus heading to Falkirk while the situation was still being decided.
The move ultimately collapsed, with Raskin remaining at Ibrox and quickly re-establishing himself as a key part of Derek McInnes' side.
Since then, Raskin's performances have only strengthened his importance to Rangers, with former Ibrox midfielder Charlie Adam describing the Belgian alongside Dan Neil as a midfield partnership capable of making a major difference this season.
With further interest likely to follow if Raskin maintains his current form, his future will remain an intriguing subplot around Ibrox.
However, for now, the midfielder is firmly back at the heart of McInnes' team.
Add us as a preferred source on Google