France completed their World Cup preparations on a high note with a convincing 3-1 victory over Northern Ireland at Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Lille on Monday, 8 June 2026. The performance was a welcome response after last week’s surprise defeat to Côte d’Ivoire, and Les Bleus now head to the United States with momentum.
Michael Olise steals the show
The Crystal Palace winger was the star of the night, netting a hat-trick with two close-range finishes in the 43rd and 49th minutes before curling a trademark strike into the top corner from the right wing in the 75th minute. Olise’s display provided the bulk of France’s attacking threat against a limited Northern Irish side ranked 70th in the world.
Parisian contingent and Saliba impress
Ousmane Dembélé and Désiré Doué, both fresh from winning a second European title with Paris Saint-Germain, started the match and looked sharp. Doué was particularly lively. Bradley Barcola came off the bench in the second half, while William Saliba, who had been managing chronic back pain, played the entire first half without any visible issue.
Deschamps signs off on home soil
Monday marked Didier Deschamps’ final match as France head coach on home soil. The 56-year-old will step down after the World Cup. His record after this win stands at 91 matches: 63 wins, 14 draws, 14 defeats – a win rate of 69%. The Stade Pierre-Mauroy crowd chanted his name in the 7th minute, honoring his own number during his playing career.
The only blemish on the evening was Patrick John Kelly’s goal in the 64th minute, which briefly cut France’s lead. However, Les Bleus controlled the game from start to finish and will now fly to the United States for the World Cup, which runs from 11 June to 19 July.
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