The final rehearsal before heading to the United States went according to plan. France secured a convincing 3-1 victory over Northern Ireland on Monday evening at Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Lille, completing their two-match preparation series for the upcoming World Cup (11 June – 19 July). After a disappointing 2-1 loss to Côte d’Ivoire on Thursday, the Bleus needed a strong response, and they delivered by dominating from start to finish against a limited but spirited opponent that still managed to find the net.

• Michael Olise steals the show. Facing the 70th-ranked team in the world, France had no choice but to win to erase the defeat against the Elephants. They relied on Michael Olise, who was perfectly positioned to slot home after his initial attempts were blocked by the Northern Irish defence just before and after halftime (43rd and 49th minutes). He then completed his hat-trick with his trademark curled strike into the top corner after cutting in from the right wing (75th minute). The only blemish on the night was Patrick John Kelly’s equaliser in the 64th minute.
• PSG trio and Saliba gain rhythm. The Paris Saint-Germain players, who joined the squad later after winning their second consecutive European title, were rested for the first friendly. On Monday, Ousmane Dembélé and Désiré Doué started, with Doué particularly impressive, while Bradley Barcola came on after the hour. William Saliba, who had been managing chronic back pain and was also preserved for the first match, played the entire first half without any apparent issues.
• A fitting farewell for Didier Deschamps on French soil. After 14 years at the helm, Didier Deschamps coached his final match on home ground before stepping down at the end of the World Cup. His overall record with France now stands at 91 matches, with 63 wins, 14 draws and 14 defeats – a win rate of 69%. The Stade Pierre-Mauroy crowd chanted his name in the seventh minute, a nod to the number he wore as a player for the national team.