TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - France wrapped up their preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a convincing 3-1 victory over Northern Ireland in an international friendly on Monday, thanks to a hat-trick from Michael Olise.
As reported by Voice of Emirates, the win helped France bounce back from a surprising 2-1 defeat to Ivory Coast in their previous warm-up match and end their pre-World Cup training camp on a positive note. The 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, will feature 48 teams for the first time in tournament history.
France entered the match with a near full-strength lineup, deploying an attacking quartet of Kylian Mbappe, Desire Doue, Ousmane Dembele, and Olise. However, Northern Ireland frustrated the hosts for much of the first half and even threatened to open the scoring through a promising move shortly before halftime.
According to Goal.com, France struggled to break down Northern Ireland’s disciplined defense during the opening 40 minutes. Despite controlling possession, Didier Deschamps’ side found it difficult to create clear-cut chances.
The breakthrough finally arrived on the stroke of halftime. A deflected ball fell kindly to Olise inside the penalty area, and the Bayern Munich winger reacted quickly to fire home from close range in the 43rd minute, giving France a 1-0 lead.
France doubled their advantage shortly after the restart. Olise capitalized on a loose ball in the 49th minute and drove his effort past the Northern Ireland goalkeeper to score his second goal of the evening.
Northern Ireland briefly threatened a comeback in the 64th minute. Shea Charles beat Dayot Upamecano before pulling the ball back for Patrick Kelly, who finished from close range to reduce the deficit to 2-1.
However, France’s superior quality eventually proved decisive. Olise completed his hat-trick in the 75th minute with a composed finish that restored France’s two-goal cushion and effectively ended Northern Ireland’s hopes of a comeback.
The hat-trick capped an impressive individual performance from Olise, who was widely regarded as the standout player on the pitch. France controlled the closing stages comfortably and secured a morale-boosting victory ahead of the World Cup.
France will begin their Group I campaign against Senegal before facing Iraq and Norway on June 23 and June 26, respectively, as they aim to secure a place in the knockout stage.
Read: Teacher Protests in Mexico Could Spoil the World Cup Party
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