France stunned by Ivory Coast in first World Cup warm-up, exposing defensive frailties before Senegal opener
A dazzling first half from Rayan Cherki was undone by a disjointed second period as France fell 2-1 to Ivory Coast in Nantes, their first defeat in a year and a warning shot 12 days before facing Senegal at the World Cup.
A game of two halves in Nantes
France began their World Cup preparation with a 2-1 defeat to Ivory Coast at a festive Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes on Thursday. Didier Deschamps' side, missing three Champions League finalists (Saliba, Dembélé, Doué), dominated the first 45 minutes with fluid, attacking football but failed to convert multiple chances. Rayan Cherki, deployed as a number 10, was the standout performer, capping a superb individual display with a brilliant goal just before half-time.
Durant 45 premières minutes de haut vol, ils ont montré une qualité dont tous n'ont pas eu l'habitude en Bleu : ils ont fait simple avec de la fluidité dans les connexions.
Cherki shines, but chances go begging
Cherki, the former Lyon player now at Manchester City, was at the heart of France's best moves, constantly available and setting the tempo. His goal came after a corner, controlling a back-pass from Konaté before unleashing an unstoppable shot into the far corner. Kylian Mbappé (7th minute), Michael Olise (21st), Marcus Thuram (33rd), Aurélien Tchouaméni (39th), and Cherki himself (34th, 42nd) all had opportunities to score earlier. The lack of cutting edge would prove costly.
- Konaté misjudges a through ball, early warning for France
- Mbappé misses a chance to open the scoring
- Maignan makes a crucial save from Adingra after a Tchouaméni error
- Cherki scores a superb goal to give France a 1-0 lead
- Guéla Doué equalises for Ivory Coast (1-1)
- Amad Diallo scores the winner for Ivory Coast (1-2)
Second-half collapse after mass changes
Deschamps made five substitutions at half-time, which disrupted the team's rhythm. Ivory Coast, coached by Émerse Faé, emerged with greater intensity and a compact defensive block that stifled France's build-up play. Guéla Doué, older brother of PSG's Champions League winner Désiré Doué, equalised in the 53rd minute with a well-worked team move. Manchester United forward Amad Diallo then struck the winner in the 84th minute, converting a cross from Doué to secure Ivory Coast's first-ever victory over France.
Bousculés, les Bleus n'ont ensuite plus rien eu à se mettre sous la dent face à des Éléphants plus percutants en seconde période, mais aussi plus réalistes.
Defensive lapses and a rare defeat
France's defensive organisation showed cracks throughout the match. Ibrahima Konaté misjudged a through ball in the 4th minute, and a misplaced pass from Tchouaméni forced Mike Maignan into an exceptional save from Simon Adingra just before half-time. Jules Koundé offered little going forward and struggled to link with Olise. This was France's first loss since the Nations League semi-final against Spain on 5 June 2025, exactly one year ago.
What comes next
France play one more friendly, against Northern Ireland in Lille on Monday, before travelling to the United States. Their World Cup campaign begins against Senegal on 16 June in East Rutherford, New Jersey, followed by group matches against Iraq and Norway. The defeat serves as a reality check for a squad widely tipped as tournament favourites.
