France wrapped up their preparation for the 2026 World Cup with an impressive 3-1 victory over Northern Ireland on Monday night in Lille. Just days after a worrying 2-1 defeat to Ivory Coast, Didier Deschamps’ men needed a confidence boost before opening their tournament against Senegal on June 16.
Despite dominating possession, Les Bleus struggled for long periods to create clear chances. The attacking quartet of Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembélé, Désiré Doué, and Kylian Mbappé showed flashes of quality but lacked fluidity. The breakthrough finally came just before halftime when Olise finished off a move started by Dembélé in the 43rd minute.
Olise Shines Before the World Cup
The Bayern Munich winger struck again shortly after the restart, doubling France’s lead in the 49th minute and confirming his excellent form. After Kelly pulled one back for Northern Ireland in the 64th minute, Olise completed his hat-trick in the 75th minute to seal the victory and head into the World Cup in outstanding shape.
After the match, Ousmane Dembélé praised France’s attacking movement. “I’m happy with our offensive play. We move a lot and constantly switch positions with the front three,” explained the PSG forward. Aurélien Tchouaméni also highlighted the team’s progress, saying France had improved compared to the first warm-up match but still had adjustments to make before facing Senegal.
Didier Deschamps was full of praise for Olise’s performance, describing him as “radiant” and in line with the excellent season he enjoyed at Bayern Munich. The France coach also defended Dembélé, insisting he is still recovering physically and mentally after his demanding campaign with PSG. As for Kylian Mbappé, who remains without a goal during the preparation matches, Deschamps showed no concern and joked that his captain was simply saving his goals for the World Cup.
The coach also received numerous tributes during his final match on French soil before stepping down after the tournament, though he insisted he felt no nostalgia as he focuses on one last challenge with Les Bleus.
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