France stunned by Ivory Coast in World Cup warm-up defeat

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France stunned by Ivory Coast in World Cup warm-up defeat

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The Elephants overturned an early deficit to beat France 2-1 on Thursday, inflicting a rare defeat on Didier Deschamps’s side in their penultimate World Cup warm-up game.

France's Aurélien Tchouameni heads the ball during the international friendly football match between France and Ivory Coast in Nantes, France, 4 June 2026

France’s Aurélien Tchouameni heads the ball during the international friendly football match between France and Ivory Coast in Nantes, France, 4 June 2026. © Jeremias Gonzalez, AP

Guela Doué haunted his brother’s national team as he scored once and set up the winner to fire Ivory Coast to a shock 2-1 comeback victory over France in a World Cup warm-up match in Nantes on Thursday.

The 23-year-old Strasbourg defender, older brother of France and Paris St Germain forward Désiré Doué, cancelled out Rayan Cherki’s sublime opener shortly after halftime before delivering the cross that Amad Diallo converted for the winner, earning the Elephants a first-ever victory over Les Bleus.

France appeared comfortably in control after an encouraging first-half display and led through Cherki’s moment of brilliance, but Didier Deschamps‘s side unravelled after the break as Ivory Coast punished a series of defensive lapses.

Les Bleus, who were on a nine-match unbeaten streak, next face Northern Ireland in a final warm-up game in Lille on Monday.

 

(FRANCE 24 with Reuters)

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