Surprise in test match
German World Cup opponent shocks France
June 4, 2026 – 11:27 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
The DFB team will also face Ivory Coast at the World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico. The team has now celebrated a respectable success – and is making people sit up and take notice.
The German World Cup group opponent Ivory Coast (Cote d’Ivoire) sent a signal towards the DFB team with a surprise win against tournament favorites France. The Ivorians deservedly defeated the two-time world champions in Nantes 2-1 (0-1) on Thursday evening.
Rayan Cherki from Manchester City (45th) took the lead for the French. Guela Doué (63′) equalized and ultimately set up Amad Diallo (84′) for the deserved winning goal. Doué’s brother Désiré, newly crowned Champions League winner with Paris Saint-Germain, plays for France but remained on the bench for the entire distance.
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Outgoing national coach Didier Deschamps, who will be leaving after 14 years in office after the World Cup, largely did without players from PSG, which won the Champions League again on Saturday in a grueling final against Arsenal FC. There was no player from Deschamps’ PSG quintet around world footballer Ousmane Dembélé in the starting line-up; like Doué and Bradley Barcola, Dembélé was not used at all.
Bayern ace Michael Olise started for the French and played well until he was substituted after half-time. Leipzig’s young star Yan Diomande remained inconspicuous in his starting eleven for the guests. Hoffenheim’s Bazoumana Touré came on as a substitute.
Before departing for North America, France will face Northern Ireland in a final test on Monday in Lille. The French will play their first World Cup game against Senegal on June 16th, followed by Iraq and Norway. The Ivorians will play against Germany on June 20th, before that against Ecuador and also against Curacao.