France suffered a surprise 2-1 defeat to Ivory Coast in a friendly match preparing for the World Cup. Despite the loss, players and coach Didier Deschamps insisted it was a useful wake-up call, not a cause for alarm.
Rayan Cherki put France ahead with a stunning first-half strike, but Ivory Coast rallied strongly after the break. Guela Doue and Amad Diallo scored to complete the comeback in Nantes.
France open their World Cup campaign against Senegal in New York on June 16. Midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni said the result should be viewed in the context of preparation, not as a red flag.
“It’s a shame to lose, but we are in a preparation phase, we keep our confidence,” Tchouameni said. “There is no conclusion from this match, even if we had won. We will be ready.”
France fielded an experimental line-up, with several Paris Saint-Germain players rested after their Champions League triumph last weekend. Didier Deschamps’ side also made several changes after halftime.
Defender Lucas Hernandez also played down the importance of the defeat. “We always want to win, but we are in a preparation phase and had many changes. Our spirit is very good,” Hernandez said.
Coach Deschamps admitted the team lost control after a promising first 45 minutes and warned France would face similar quality opponents in the United States. “A defeat is never pleasant, even though we did many good things in the first half. We made many changes in the second half but that is not the excuse. We were not as good after the break and they brought a lot of speed. We will face that kind of team on June 16,” Deschamps said.
The French coach said the result could be useful if it prevents players from becoming complacent before the tournament. “It is a reminder, if we needed one, not to think we are better than we actually are,” he said. Cherki added: “It’s a small warning, and I can say we are not going to the World Cup thinking we are favourites, but we will crush everyone.”
