PALANGKA RAYA – The final result of the France vs Ivory Coast friendly ahead of the 2026 World Cup has surprised many fans.

The last phase of preparation before the 2026 World Cup has reached a critical stage. One of the most anticipated warm-up matches was the clash between France and Ivory Coast.

In the second half, Kylian Mbappe and his teammates conceded a goal in the 84th minute, bringing the score to 1-2. It was Amad Diallo (Ivory Coast) who calmly beat the French goalkeeper to put his team ahead.

Guela Doue demonstrated excellent vision and delivered a precise pass to Amad Diallo, who showed remarkable composure inside the box to slot the ball into the bottom left corner.

Just before the end of the first half, Kylian Mbappe made a solo run but failed to create a scoring chance as he was blocked by a defender.

The score remained 0-0. Ivory Coast actually had a golden opportunity in the 42nd minute, but Simon Adingra missed it.

He created space inside the penalty area and fired a solid shot toward the bottom left corner, but Mike Maignan made an outstanding save to deny him.

France Starting Line-up

Starting XI:
16 Mike Maignan (G)
5 Jules Kounde
4 Dayot Upamecano
15 Ibrahima Konate
19 Theo Hernandez
8 Aurelien Tchouameni
14 Adrien Rabiot
11 Michael Olise
24 Rayan Cherki
9 Marcus Thuram
10 Kylian Mbappe (C)

Ivory Coast Starting Line-up

Y. Fofana (G)
17 Guela Doue
5 Wilfried Singo
20 Evan Agbadou
3 Ghislain Konan
11 Y. Diomande
8 Franck Kessie (C)
6 Seko Fofana
10 Simon Adingra
12 Elye Wahi
14 Diakite

For Les Bleus, this was more than just a regular warm-up—it was a strategic simulation, as they are set to face Senegal in the opening match of Group I at the upcoming World Cup.

Deschamps’ Tactical Simulation Mission

France approach the 2026 World Cup with high ambitions after finishing as runners-up in the previous edition. Didier Deschamps’ squad has been in exceptional form, winning 8 of their last 9 international fixtures, including impressive victories over Brazil (2-1) and Colombia (3-1).

The depth of the squad remains France’s key strength. In attack, Deschamps enjoys an abundance of options. Captain Kylian Mbappe and Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele are expected to lead the offensive line.

Their sharpness will be supported by young attacking talents such as Bradley Barcola and Michael Olise.

Meanwhile, Ivory Coast arrived with their trademark physical strength and disciplined structure. As one of Africa’s football powerhouses, they provided a strong physical test for France’s defence, led by goalkeeper Mike Maignan.

Recent Head-to-Head (H2H) Record:
* 26/03/22: France 2-1 Ivory Coast
* 16/11/16: France 0-0 Ivory Coast

Although Ivory Coast have consistently posed challenges in recent meetings, France’s collective consistency and individual quality remain on a higher level.

France were expected to dominate possession. If their backline stayed disciplined against Ivory Coast’s quick counter-attacks, Les Bleus should have been able to secure a convincing win.

Predicted Final Score: France 3-1 Ivory Coast