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France’s impressive winning streak came to an end after suffering a surprising 1-2 defeat against Ivory Coast in a friendly match ahead of the 2026 World Cup on Friday (5 June 2026) at Stade de la Beaujoire, Louis Fonteneau, Nantes, France.

Before facing Ivory Coast, France had won four consecutive matches against Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Brazil, and Colombia.

However, just days before the 2026 World Cup, scheduled to kick off on 12 June (Indonesian time), Didier Deschamps’ side unexpectedly fell short with a 1-2 loss.

France initially took the lead through an individual effort by Rayan Cherki in the 45th minute, right before halftime.

Ivory Coast equalised in the 53rd minute through Guela Doue, before Amad Diallo sealed victory in the 84th minute.

The match also featured a unique sibling rivalry, with Guela Doue representing Ivory Coast and his younger brother, Desire Doue, playing for France.

Despite the defeat, the French camp downplayed concerns, noting that Deschamps made multiple player rotations to test his squad’s readiness.

French midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni, whose error led to Ivory Coast’s first goal, emphasised that the result should be viewed within the context of preparations.

“It’s disappointing to lose, but we are in a preparation phase. We remain confident,” he said after the match, as quoted by Al Jazeera.

“No conclusions should be drawn from this game, even if we had won it. We’ll be ready,” he added.

Deschamps took an experimental approach, resting several key players for this match, particularly those who had just joined the squad after the Champions League final last weekend.

Among them were William Saliba, Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue, and leading striker Kylian Mbappe. They mostly stayed on the bench, except for Bradley Barcola, who featured late in the second half.

In total, Deschamps made 10 substitutions during the second half.

French defender Lucas Hernandez also brushed off the result, viewing it as part of their preparation process.

“We always want to win, but this is a preparation phase with many changes in the lineup,” he said.

“We’re in good spirits,” he added.

In the first half, France dominated possession, which led to Cherki’s goal.

However, in the second half, the numerous substitutions disrupted France’s rhythm and stability on the pitch.

Hernandez noted that Ivory Coast’s playing style resembled that of Senegal — France’s upcoming Group I opponent at the 2026 World Cup.

“Losing is never enjoyable, even though we did some good things in the first half,” he said.

“We made many changes after halftime, but that’s no excuse. We weren’t as good after the break, and they played with high intensity.”

“We’ll face a team with a similar style on 16 June (against Senegal, 17 June in Indonesia),” he explained.

This defeat serves as a timely reminder for France to avoid repeating the same mistakes in their opening World Cup match.

“It’s a reminder, if we needed one, not to think we’re better than we actually are,” Hernandez concluded.

The Toughest Group

Football analyst Adrian from Spieltag Indonesia, speaking on a podcast with Tribunnews on Sunday (31 May), remarked that France faces a challenging group.

According to him, Group I — consisting of France, Senegal, Norway, and Iraq — is the toughest group in the tournament.

Senegal are the reigning 2025 Africa Cup of Nations champions, while Norway topped their qualification group after thrashing Italy 4-0 in Rome.

Meanwhile, Iraq recently held the 2024 European Championship winners Spain to a 1-1 draw in a friendly.

“For me, the toughest group is Group I, which includes France, Senegal, Norway, and Iraq,” Adrian stated.

“This group could produce major surprises. Even with France’s star-studded squad, they cannot underestimate Senegal and Norway. Iraq, too, will play without pressure, having already made history by reaching this stage.”

“In football, especially at the World Cup, every nation in Group I makes it the most challenging group in my opinion,” he concluded.