Ivory Coast secured a historic 2-1 victory over France in an international friendly on Thursday, June 4, at the Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes. The win marked the Elephants' first-ever triumph over Les Bleus and boosted their confidence ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Match Overview
France started strongly, with captain Kylian Mbappe leading the attack as he aimed to close in on Olivier Giroud's all-time scoring record. Goalkeeper Yahia Fofana denied Mbappe early on, while Adrien Rabiot and Michael Olise also came close as Didier Deschamps' side dominated possession and created the better chances.
Ivory Coast gradually grew into the contest, threatening through Simon Adingra and Seko Fofana. Goalkeeper Mike Maignan was called into action after a defensive error gifted Adingra a clear sight of goal. The hosts eventually took the lead just before halftime when Rayan Cherki produced a moment of brilliance, dribbling past several defenders before finishing calmly to make it 1-0.
Second Half Comeback
Ivory Coast responded strongly after the break, becoming more organised defensively while posing a threat on the counterattack. Their determination paid off late in the game. After finding an equaliser, the Elephants completed a dramatic turnaround in the 84th minute when Guela Doue provided the assist for Amad Diallo, who fired a first-time effort beyond Maignan to seal a famous victory.
World Cup Group Stage
Ivory Coast will face Germany, Ecuador and Curacao in Group E of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The win over France has sparked excitement among fans, with many praising the team's performance.
Fan Reactions
@Xtopherewesi said: "Good movement from Amad to elude the defender and connect with the ball. Amad seems to play much better with the National team."
@JetLife_CL6 wrote: "I know it's a friendly but I really really hope we get these type of upsets and drama in the real tournament. Absolute cinema."
@danropes93 added: "Amad is gonna p*ss me off genuinely. This is what I mean I know what he's capable of, was unreal at Afcon, came back to Utd played half heartedly and now he's back to the unreal Amad I know. But fans want to tell me his performances for Utd 2nd half of the season is 'his level'?"
@peacenationone said: "I hope CIV has another left wing in the wings… that Toure guy was horrible. Other than that, CIV the only African team capable of a deep run. This squad is more talented than Senegal and Morocco."
Supercomputer Prediction
Legit.ng previously reported that Opta's supercomputer predicted the top five favourite countries that could win the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Spain leads as the favourite, followed by France, England, Argentina and Portugal.
