SouthernWorldwide.com – Emerse Faé, manager of Ivory Coast, secured a significant upset by leading his team to victory against tournament favorites France in a pre-World Cup tune-up match.
Faé, who was born in Nantes, France, and previously represented the French national team as a player, orchestrated a surprising win that will undoubtedly raise eyebrows as teams prepare for the 2026 World Cup.
The match, however, has also brought to light potential concerns for France regarding their offensive efficiency and their ability to close out winnable games. Conversely, it has placed Ivory Coast under the spotlight as a team that could emerge as a dark horse in the upcoming tournament.
A key narrative of the game was Ivory Coast’s second-half resurgence, heavily influenced by French-born players Guéla Doué and Nicolas Pépé. Guéla Doué was instrumental in setting up Amad Diallo for the winning goal.
Here are the key takeaways from the match:
France initially controlled the game in Nantes but struggled to convert their dominance into goals. It wasn’t until the 45th minute that Rayan Cherki managed to break the deadlock.
French manager Didier Deschamps opted to rest players who had recently competed in the Champions League with Paris Saint-Germain, including Ousmane Dembélé. Despite this, the squad still boasted considerable talent on the bench, such as Bradley Barcola, Warren Zaire-Emery, Désiré Doué, and Lucas Hernández.
However, France still fielded a formidable starting attack featuring Kylian Mbappé, Marcus Thuram, and Michael Olise.
Ivory Coast managed to keep the score level for a significant portion of the game. They even had an early opportunity to take the lead when Simon Adingra capitalized on a mistake by Aurélien Tchouaméni, but his one-on-one attempt was saved by goalkeeper Mike Maignan.
Despite their first-half advantage, France was notably wasteful with their scoring opportunities. Mbappé missed a clear chance early on, which was saved by Yahia Fofana.
Thuram and Olise also failed to capitalize on their respective chances during the first half, contributing to France’s inability to put the game away.
Mbappé, in particular, drew criticism for his finishing inefficiency. The Real Madrid star is one goal shy of becoming France’s all-time leading scorer, and his missed chances in this match, played in front of a home crowd, are likely to amplify these concerns.
Ultimately, France’s inability to secure a lead in the first half proved to be their undoing. While France faltered, Ivory Coast demonstrated clinical finishing.
Ivory Coast equalized in the 53rd minute after Guéla Doué received a precise pass from Nicolas Pépé and went through on goal against Maignan.
The winning goal came in the 84th minute when Doué, from the right wing, set up Amad Diallo, whose finish from the center of the box secured the victory.
At the World Cup, scoring opportunities are expected to be even more scarce. Unless France can improve their conversion rate, their path through the tournament could be challenging, despite their immense talent.
In the early stages of the match, it appeared that France would comfortably control the game. Didier Deschamps’s team dictated the tempo and created the majority of the initial chances.
However, Ivory Coast gradually grew into the game, and now Emerse Faé has the opportunity to lead his team to a significant victory that should provide them with crucial momentum heading into the World Cup.
Playing away against a favored opponent and trailing at halftime, Ivory Coast responded with a brilliant second-half performance. Their goals were a testament to impressive individual skill, combined with passing that effectively breached France’s midfield and defense.
Despite the pressure of playing against a top team and being behind at the break, Ivory Coast maintained their composure and allowed their individual quality to shine through.
Right-back Guéla Doué was arguably the standout player on the field. The Strasbourg winger made effective forward runs and contributed both a goal and an assist.
Defensively, Doué was also highly impressive, playing a key role in containing France’s attacks on his flank. He also gained a personal bragging right by securing a victory against his brother’s team.
Within a squad as talented as France’s, competition for starting positions at the World Cup is intense. Rayan Cherki, while not typically considered a starter for France’s first-choice lineup, made a strong case for himself on Thursday.
Cherki was arguably France’s best player in the first half. A seasoned member of France’s youth teams and a silver medalist at the 2024 Olympics, the Lyon native has been making progress with the senior French team over the past year.
Cherki made his senior debut for France on June 5, 2025, scoring his first international goal on that occasion. Shortly before halftime in this match, he netted his second career international goal, giving the hosts a 1-0 lead.
Beyond his goal, Cherki was actively involved in possession for the entirety of his 78 minutes on the field, consistently finding dangerous positions and creating opportunities for his teammates.
He emerged as one of the few bright spots for France on a disappointing day.
There has been speculation about Ivory Coast being a potential surprise package in the upcoming tournament. The team has a manageable group stage draw, with Ecuador, Curaçao, and Germany in Group E.
However, this victory will undoubtedly elevate expectations for Ivory Coast. A win against Curaçao is anticipated, and a result against Germany would require a similar level of determination as their triumph over France.
The match against Ecuador is expected to be a closely contested affair.
What should be particularly encouraging for Ivory Coast is that this victory over France was not achieved through fortuitous circumstances like a set-piece, a penalty, or a red card that leveled the playing field.
Ivory Coast scored two goals from open play, characterized by high-quality passing and effective finishing. This match demonstrated that Ivory Coast possesses the talent to compete with the world’s best, and its players are confident in their abilities.
