Côte d’Ivoire produced one of the biggest surprises of the international window by coming from behind to defeat France 2-1 in a World Cup warm-up match, ending Les Bleus’ long-standing unbeaten record in pre-tournament friendlies.
France appeared on course for victory when rising star Rayan Cherki opened the scoring, giving Didier Deschamps’ side an early advantage. However, the African champions responded impressively, showing resilience and quality to turn the contest around.
Defender Guéla Doué restored parity for the Elephants before winger Amad Diallo completed the comeback with the decisive goal, sealing a memorable victory for the Ivorians.
The result carries historic significance. It marks the first time Côte d’Ivoire have scored two goals against France in an international match, underlining the scale of their achievement against one of the favourites for the upcoming FIFA World Cup.
For France, the defeat represents an unwelcome milestone. Les Bleus had not lost a pre-World Cup friendly since 2010, making the setback a rare blemish on their preparations for the global tournament.
While friendly results are often viewed with caution, Côte d’Ivoire’s performance will provide a significant boost in confidence as they continue their own development on the international stage. France, meanwhile, will be left searching for answers after a match that exposed vulnerabilities just days before the start of their World Cup campaign.
The final whistle sparked celebrations among the Ivorian players and supporters, who witnessed a landmark victory that will go down as one of the nation’s most notable results against elite opposition.
