We expect a champion-level performance from the hosts: prediction for France vs Ivory Coast - 04.06.2026
One of Thursday's friendlies will take place at the Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes, where France will host Ivory Coast. For Didier Deschamps' side, this marks the start of their World Cup preparations, while for the Elephants, it's a chance to test their impressive form against the FIFA world number one.
France: Deschamps' final run for gold
France heads into the World Cup as the top-ranked team in the world and one of the tournament's major favorites, boasting a squad packed with talent. Didier Deschamps will step down after the World Cup, so this cycle feels like his last shot at closing his era with another trophy, following the 2018 triumph and the dramatic 2022 final against Argentina.
In qualifying, Les Bleus cruised through their group unbeaten, winning five out of six matches and leaving Ukraine, Iceland, and Azerbaijan in their wake. Over the past 12 months, France have won eight of nine games, scoring at least twice in each: in March, they defeated Brazil 2-1 and Colombia 3-1, proving that even in friendly mode, they maintain a relentless level of intensity.
Ivory Coast: African power with no away-game complex
Ivory Coast returns to the World Cup after missing the last two editions, and they do so with a formidable record. In African qualifiers, the team went on a stunning run: eight wins and two draws in ten matches, 25 goals scored and not a single goal conceded - a rare blend of aggression and discipline, even for group favorites.
Emerse Faé has turned the team into a more cohesive and fearless unit over two and a half years: 21 wins in 31 matches under his guidance speak not just to the squad's talent, but also to a clear tactical vision. After a 2-3 loss to Egypt in the Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinals, the Elephants responded with clean-sheet victories over South Korea (4-0) and Scotland (1-0, so they arrive in France not as mere participants but as a side with genuine attacking threat.
Match facts and head-to-head
- France have won eight of their last nine matches, scoring at least two goals in each.
- Ivory Coast have scored 13 goals in their last five matches and didn't concede a single goal in 10 World Cup qualifiers.
- France are unbeaten in all three previous meetings with Ivory Coast, including a 2-1 victory in March 2022, sealed by Aurélien Tchouaméni's stoppage-time winner.
Prediction
France may rest some PSG players after the Champions League final, and William Saliba, given his back injury, is unlikely to be risked. Even with rotation, Deschamps can still field an attacking line featuring Mbappé, Olise, Cherki, and Thuram, while N’Golo Kanté and Tchouaméni provide the hosts with crucial midfield balance.
Ivory Coast won't be coming just to defend: they have plenty of pace on the wings, physicality in the middle, and players capable of capitalizing on any lapse in concentration. Nevertheless, France historically thrive in Nantes, having gone unbeaten there in their last 10 matches.
