France Beat Northern Ireland 3-1 in World Cup Warm‑up

France completed their 2026 FIFA World Cup preparations with a 3-1 friendly victory over Northern Ireland. Michael Olise scored a hat‑trick to secure the win. Didier Deschamps fielded a 4‑2‑3‑1 formation with Kylian Mbappé as the central striker. Ousmane Dembélé started in the central attacking role while Désiré Doué occupied the left flank and Michael Olise remained on the right. Rayan Cherki, who impressed in the previous match, was left out of the starting eleven. William Saliba entered the first half despite nursing a back injury before being substituted at halftime. The injury concern has been a major focus for both France supporters and Arsenal fans.

Deschamps set to rejoin France after family tragedy ahead of World Cup

Deschamps continues to search for a balanced attacking formula, with the side appearing top‑heavy but lacking fluid teamwork. The defence showed fragility across the two recent friendlies, and opponents’ counters proved dangerous. France will face Senegal on 16 June, and the lineup used against Northern Ireland suggests possible selections. The coach’s challenge remains to integrate the attacking talent into a cohesive unit. The analysis was compiled by Nick Hartland.