Ivory Coast stuns France 2-1 in World Cup warm-up, ending Deschamps' unbeaten pre-tournament run

A brother's revenge

France appeared in control after a first half capped by Rayan Cherki's sublime opener just before the break. The Manchester City forward was the standout performer for Les Bleus, but the match turned sharply after the interval. Ivory Coast equalised in the 53rd minute when Guela Doue, the older brother of France international Desire Doue, finished a through ball from Nicolas Pepe with a composed side-footed finish past Mike Maignan.

The most positive point was the team's mentality. We came back in the second half with a much better approach than in the first. It's not easy to withstand pressure from a team like France; you can easily crack or give up. We kept believing despite conceding just before half-time. We never gave up.

Doue then turned provider, delivering the cross that Amad Diallo converted in the 84th minute to seal a first-ever victory for the Elephants over France. The Strasbourg defender became only the fifth player born in France to score against Les Bleus, joining Jacques Fatton, Djamel Belmadi, Wahbi Khazri and Nicolas Pepe on that list.

Deschamps' unwanted first

For the first time since taking charge in 2012, Didier Deschamps has lost a pre-tournament friendly. France had not tasted defeat in a warm-up match before a major competition since 2010, when Raymond Domenech's side lost 1-0 to China before a disastrous World Cup campaign in South Africa. This was also France's fifth defeat against an African nation, following a loss to Tunisia during the 2022 World Cup group stage.

Ivory Coast did better things than us, particularly in terms of speed and penetration. Their equaliser galvanised them. I don't take away their merit but we made errors that led to the second goal.

Deschamps, in his final year as France manager, had rested several Paris Saint-Germain players including Ousmane Dembele. Kylian Mbappe, Aurelien Tchouameni and Michael Olise were all substituted before Ivory Coast seized control.

FIFA ranking shake-up

The defeat cost France the top spot in the FIFA rankings. Argentina now lead, with Spain climbing to second despite a 1-1 draw against Iraq. France slip to third, ahead of England, Portugal, Brazil and Morocco. A win against Northern Ireland in Lille on Monday could help Les Bleus recover, but they would also need Spain to lose to Peru and Argentina to fall against Iceland.

Cherki's ambition undimmed

Despite the setback, Rayan Cherki struck a defiant tone after the match. The 22-year-old, who scored France's only goal, insisted the team's ambition remains intact ahead of their World Cup opener against Senegal on 16 June.

We're not going to the World Cup as favourites, but to crush everyone. The goal is to be good on 16 June.

Cherki's performance was the bright spot for France, positioning him as a strong candidate for a starting role in attack. Deschamps described the defeat as a "wake-up call" and a "small alarm bell that helps us stay focused."

What comes next

France face Northern Ireland in Lille on Monday in their final warm-up match, two days before flying to their Boston base camp on 10 June. The World Cup runs from 11 June to 19 July in the United States. Ivory Coast, managed by 2024 Africa Cup of Nations winner Emerse Fae, will take confidence from a result that Fae himself cautioned gives them "no advantage" for the tournament itself.