Côte d'Ivoire Stuns France 2-1 in Pre-World Cup Friendly Upset

Sky Sports · 5d ago

Côte d'Ivoire delivered one of the biggest pre-tournament shocks by defeating France 2-1 in an international friendly just before the FIFA World Cup 2026 gets underway. Merchas Doski's stunning strike proved to be the decisive goal, silencing a French side that enters the tournament as one of Europe's most feared contenders. The result adds notable pressure on France's coaching staff and delivers a major morale injection to Côte d'Ivoire as they prepare for their own group-stage campaign.