Deschamps Leads France Past Côte d'Ivoire With France Cote D'ivoire XI
France cote d'ivoire at the Stade de la Beaujoire carried more than the shape of a friendly. Didier Deschamps directed the first of his two last matches on French soil as France coach, with the 2026 World Cup already in view.
France’s lineup listed Maignan, Koundé, Upamecano, Konaté, Hernandez, Tchouaméni, Rabiot, Olise, Cherki, Thuram and Mbappé. Côte d’Ivoire answered with Fofana, G. Doué, Agbadou, Singo, Konan, Fofana, Kessié, Adingra, Diomandé, Diakité and Wahi, a side built to test France before the tournament ahead.
Beaujoire and Deschamps
The Beaujoire stage mattered because Deschamps is nearing the end of his time in charge on French soil. This was the first of the two home matches that will bookend that stretch, and France used it as part of its preparation for the 2026 World Cup.
The lineup also pointed to a waiting game on the French bench. The finalists of the Ligue des champions were expected to start there, a sign that France was balancing this friendly with players who had just come through the biggest club night on the calendar.
Doué brothers meet again
Désiré Doué was in the France squad and Guela Doué was in the Côte d’Ivoire squad, setting up a brother-versus-brother reunion on the Beaujoire pitch. Guela is 23 and plays for Strasbourg, while Désiré is 21 and plays for PSG; both were trained at Stade Rennais.
That family link added a rare detail to a match already tied to bigger national-team questions. The French federation had still not settled the allocation of tribune seats for players’ relatives before the 2026 World Cup, so even the off-field setup around France’s future remained unfinished.
Yan Diomandé for Côte d’Ivoire
Yan Diomandé also stood out as a talent to watch for Côte d’Ivoire. France’s opposition was not just a warm-up name on the schedule; it brought a lineup built around players who could push Deschamps’ group through a sharper final test before the World Cup cycle tightens again.
One French defender returned injured from the Champions League final with Arsenal and warmed up on the Beaujoire pitch, another reminder that this was not a clean exhibition script. Deschamps had his team sheet, the brothers were on opposite sides, and France had one of the last home nights of his reign in front of it.
