For the first time since Didier Deschamps became coach of the France team, his team lost a preparation match. Thursday evening in Nantes, the Blues in fact gave in to Ivory Coast (1-2). Twelve days before their first match of the 2026 World Cup, the French continue to work. The results of this lost match are shared, according to Bixente Lizarazu.
Shared because the TF1 consultant saw the good and the bad. In any case, this is the verdict he delivered just after the game.
“Disappointment, especially in the second period. The first was rather of good quality, with chances and quick attackers on both sides. »
And the 1998 world champion and 2000 European champion with France to continue. “Rayan Cherki was, for me, the man of the match. Kylian Mbappé I found in his legs. I was interested to see how the Cherki-Olise duo would share the roles, their movements, and I found it pretty good. »
But Bixente Lizarazu also commented on the second period of the France team, much less good than the first.
Bixente Lizarazu does not want to sound the alarm
With explanations for this. “In the second half, there were a lot of changes, ten in total I think, and that perhaps disrupted this team a little. We were totally amorphous, there was no verticality, almost no chances. And that gave confidence to this Ivorian team which finally managed to win. »
Nothing to panic about, according to the former Bayern Munich left-back. “A defeat in preparation just before a World Cup is never good, but we are not going to sound the alarm either. We had a great tour in the United States against Colombia and Brazil. » The Blues have a final friendly match to play on June 8 against Northern Ireland (9:10 p.m.).
