Olise Hat Trick Fires France Past Northern Ireland 3-1 in World Cup Send-Off

France 3, Northern Ireland 1. Michael Olise scored all three. As of June 8, 2026, Les Bleus have their bounce-back result — and maybe their World Cup starting XI.

The match was played in Lille at the Decathlon Arena – Stade Pierre-Mauroy (as of June 8, 2026). It was Didier Deschamps' final home game in charge of Les Bleus. He steps down after the World Cup . He picked what looked like a first-choice lineup. The scoreline backed him up.

Olise's night

Olise struck three times — in the 43rd minute, the 49th, and the 75th (as of June 8, 2026). It was his first career hat trick .

The first goal came when Ousmane Dembélé's deflected shot broke kindly. Olise tucked it home from close range . The second arrived after Northern Ireland failed to clear. The third was the best of the lot: a curling effort from the edge of the box into the top-left corner .

Olise plays for Bayern München. He logged 152 NT minutes across three appearances in the last 12 months before this match. At club level, the numbers are enormous — 4,387 minutes, 25 goals, 26 assists in 59 appearances . He was already pushing for a starting role. This performance probably settled the debate (as of June 8, 2026).

The lineup Deschamps showed

Deschamps fielded what sources described as a near first-choice XI :

That front four — Mbappé, Dembélé, Doué, Olise — is the attacking shape Deschamps appears ready to deploy in the United States . Mbappé leads the line. Dembélé and Olise flank wide. Doué drifts between lines.

At club level, Mbappé has 43 goals and 6 assists in 3,755 minutes for Real Madrid over the last 12 months. Dembélé adds 25 goals and 12 assists in 2,520 minutes at Paris Saint Germain. Doué pitched in 15 goals and 8 assists from 3,057 PSG minutes. Those four combined for 108 club goals in the trailing year (as of June 8, 2026).

Northern Ireland's response

Northern Ireland pulled one back in the 64th minute. Patrick Kelly tapped in from close range after Shea Charles won the ball from Upamecano . It was Kelly's first international goal. Northern Ireland did not qualify for the World Cup, and their starting XI averaged just 22.6 years old . They frustrated France for long periods before Olise separated the teams.

Momentum restored

France needed this. Their previous warm-up was a surprise 2-1 defeat to Ivory Coast . That loss generated real anxiety. Before it, Les Bleus had been on a tear — 8 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss in their last 10 matches, scoring 24 and conceding 8 . The Ivory Coast stumble was the outlier. The Northern Ireland result resets the trajectory (as of June 8, 2026).

The recent run in full:

Away wins in Brazil, Colombia, Germany, and Ukraine. That is a squad that travels. It matters for a World Cup hosted across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

The full 26-player squad

Deschamps named the official 26 on May 14, 2026. Here is the complete roster with club, NT minutes (last 12 months), and club form.

Goalkeepers

Defenders

Midfielders

Forwards

Group I schedule

France land in one of the tournament's more navigable groups. The schedule:

All three matchdays on the U.S. East Coast. Short travel between venues. France are heavy favorites but Senegal and Norway both qualify as serious opponents.

What does Olise's hat trick tell us about Deschamps' plan?

It tells us the wide positions are locked. Olise and Dembélé provide pace, creativity, and goals from the flanks. Mbappé occupies defenders centrally. Doué floats. Behind them, Tchouaméni and Rabiot sit as a double pivot — experienced, physical, built for tournament football.

The back four of Koundé, Upamecano, Saliba, and Theo Hernández has the depth and the talent to be one of the best defensive units at the tournament. Maignan is a proven number one with 3,848 club minutes at AC Milan this season.

Who are the key players in France's World Cup 2026 squad?

Kylian Mbappé. 43 club goals in the last 12 months. No player in the squad matches that output. Michael Olise is the revelation — 25 club goals, 26 assists, plus a hat trick in the final warm-up . Aurélien Tchouaméni controls the tempo from midfield with 4,475 club minutes at Real Madrid. William Saliba, despite 0 NT minutes in the trailing 12 months, logged 4,254 minutes at Arsenal and started against Northern Ireland (as of June 8, 2026).

When does France play their first World Cup 2026 match?

France open Group I against Senegal on June 16 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford . The second match is June 22 against Iraq in Philadelphia. The group stage closes June 26 against Norway in Foxborough.

How did France respond after the Ivory Coast defeat?

The 2-1 loss to Ivory Coast in their penultimate warm-up raised questions about defensive focus and squad depth . Deschamps answered by selecting his strongest available XI against Northern Ireland and getting a clean, convincing performance — at least until Kelly's consolation goal in the 64th minute . Three goals, control of possession, and a restored sense of purpose heading into the tournament (as of June 8, 2026).

Why is this Deschamps' final home match with France?

Deschamps has confirmed he will step down from his role after the World Cup . The Northern Ireland friendly was his farewell on French soil. His World Cup record includes a title in 2018 and a final in 2022. The remaining matches — all in the United States — are his last as Les Bleus coach.

What is France's recent form heading into the World Cup?

8 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss in the last 10 matches. 24 goals scored, 8 conceded. Away wins in Brazil, Colombia, Germany, and Ukraine. The only defeat in that run came against Ivory Coast in the previous friendly . France enter the tournament on form, with a squad stacked across every position and a front four that just put three past Northern Ireland without breaking a sweat (as of June 8, 2026).

See the projected squad
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