Ivory Coast defeats France in friendly match in Nantes. In Nantes, Ivory Coast secured a 2-1 victory over France. The match was attended by 33,636 spectators. France controlled possession but lost in the final minutes.
On the evening of June 4, 2026, at the Stade de la Beaujoire - Louis Fonteneau in Nantes, the Ivory Coast national team unexpectedly defeated France in a friendly match. The final score of 2:1 was the result of a tense battle, where the home team could not capitalize on their advantage in possession and number of shots.
France opened the scoring in the 45th minute—R. Cherki netted after an assist from I. Konaté. However, after the break, the initiative shifted to the visitors: in the 53rd minute, G. Doué equalized, capitalizing on a pass from N. Pépé. The key moment of the match came when A. Diallo scored in the 84th minute, securing victory for Ivory Coast. He was assisted by G. Doué, who became one of the heroes of the game.
Despite Didier Deschamps' team playing with a 4-1-4-1 formation and controlling possession for 59.6% of the time, they failed to make their advantage count. France took 15 shots on goal, 6 of them on target, but the Ivory Coast defense and goalkeeper handled the threats. Meanwhile, Emerse Faé’s side, playing in a 4-4-2 formation, were more precise: out of 7 shots, 3 were on target, with two resulting in goals.
The match was officiated by Austrian referee Sebastian Gishamer, with Manuel Schüttengruber overseeing the video assistance system. A total of 33,636 spectators filled the stands, highlighting the level of interest in the match despite its friendly status.
France's home defeat became a notable event during the European teams' preparations for the summer tournaments. Similar unpredictable outcomes have already happened in world football: for example, River Plate recently advanced past San Lorenzo to the quarterfinals after a penalty shootout that was decided in the final minutes—read more about this in the article about the dramatic ending in Buenos Aires.
For reference: The Stade de la Beaujoire - Louis Fonteneau is one of the largest arenas in France and often hosts international matches. Friendly games between European and African national teams traditionally attract interest from fans and coaches, as they provide an opportunity to test tactical setups and lineups ahead of official tournaments. A victory for Ivory Coast could serve as an important signal to the team's rivals in upcoming competitions.
