Although France is improving and unbeaten in 16 matches, coach Laurent Blanc still has not decided what his first-choice team is and will continue to experiment against old rival Belgium in today’s friendly match.

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema, Milan defender Philippe Mexes and Lyon goalkeeper Hugo Lloris have emerged as France’s key players over the past year, but other places are up for grabs ahead of next year’s European Championship.

Blanc may be thrilled to have competition for places, but he remains unsure what system suits France best.

“The hierarchy is not set in stone,” Blanc said. “That’s not a problem, we’ll make those choices. If there are three or four players vying for each position, we’ll have to. We’re not going to go to the Euros with three right backs and three left backs.”

The newcomers looking to stake their claim did well on Friday, with Valencia left back Jeremy Mathieu and Arsenal’s central defender Laurent Koscielny playing confidently. Striker Olivier Giroud also looked lively in a 30-minute substitute appearance and could start against Belgium at Stade de France.

“They deserve a chance to be seen again,” Blanc said.

The flat 4-4-2 Blanc started with in Friday’s 1-0 win against the United States was unconvincing, however, and France played with far greater fluidity when playmaker Marvin Martin and versatile striker Loic Remy came on.

The 4-4-2 too often turned into a 4-2-4 with an ocean between the four attacking players and the two deep-lying holding midfielders.

“There’s too much of a gap and it’s difficult to create anything,” Blanc said. “If one of your two central strikers is a big lad, like Olivier Giroud, you can play a different way, playing off him. It can work with Benzema and (Kevin) Gameiro together up front, but with a player who is playing higher up in midfield in a passing role.”

France looked much more balanced with Martin in that role higher up the field, and he set up Remy’s goal.

Martin only made his debut in June, coming off the bench to score twice against Ukraine, but such has been his ascension that he is now challenging Manchester City’s Samir Nasri for the coveted playmaker’s slot.

Remy, too, is giving Blanc a serious selection headache.

The Marseille striker has scored four goals in 16 games for France, but most of those have been as a substitute, and he always makes an impact when he comes on. He can also play wide right as well as center forward.

“I want to push for a first team place,” Remy said.

Blanc is not short on talent in his side, but finding the right cohesion is proving elusive.

“There are a lot of uncertainties in the way we play, in the shape, the positioning and the understanding. There’s no real spine to the team,” former France midfielder Alain Giresse said. “The great French teams had great leaders: Michel Platini and Zinedine Zidane. Given his form for Real Madrid, why not Benzema?”

Today’s match is the 71st between the teams, but the first since February, 2004, when France won 2-0 in Brussels. The first, way back in 1904, ended in a 3-3 draw.

Highly rated midfielder Eden Hazard, who has most of Europe’s top clubs chasing his signature, will start, having patched up his differences with coach George Leekens.

Hazard was suspended last June because he stormed off to the dressing room without acknowledging Leekens after being substituted in a European Championship qualifier against Turkey.

Leekens recalled him in September after Hazard apologised for his behaviour, and the Lille midfielder is desperate to prove himself against France.

“It’s a challenge for me to play against the best players in the French league and abroad,” Hazard said. “It will be a great match. A lot of people are expecting me to play well, but I won’t put myself under any pressure.”