Sabasports Match Preview
Friendly: France vs Northern Ireland
Kickoff Time: 2026-6-9 3:10 (HKT)
France lost 1-2 to Ivory Coast in their previous friendly. Kylian Mbappé only featured in the first half and turned in an unremarkable performance. France’s lone goal late in the first half was scored by Rayan Cherki with a brilliant individual effort. Didier Deschamps made widespread squad rotations throughout the game to assess the form of young talents, a clear move to prepare for the upcoming World Cup. However, frequent lineup changes disrupted France’s rhythm. The side lost control in midfield, and defensive gaps between full-backs and centre-backs were repeatedly exploited by the opposition, leading to the defeat. For Deschamps, the priorities were building on-field chemistry among players and keeping everyone fit and injury-free, rather than chasing a positive result.
Northern Ireland edged Guinea 1-0 in their last friendly, with Tom Atchison scoring the only goal of the game. He was later sent off with a straight red card for committing a foul as the last defender. The team also used the match to trial new players, handing debuts and game time to young talents including Ceadach O’Neill and Kieran Morrison. Northern Ireland adopted a defensive counter-attacking style, packing the defence to limit the opponents’ attacking opportunities. Yet they lacked offensive output and posed little threat on the break, with the team overall short of creativity.
France are clearly superior to Northern Ireland in world ranking, overall strength and squad market value. This will be France’s final friendly ahead of the World Cup. A convincing victory would greatly boost team morale, which is vital for their World Cup campaign. Therefore, France, with their overwhelming strength, are tipped to bounce back with a big win in this fixture.
France ‘s Last 5 Games: LWWWW
26-06-05 France 1-2 Ivory Coast
26-03-30 Colombia 1-3 France
26-03-27 Brazil 1-2 France
25-11-17 Azerbaijan 1-3 France
25-11-14 France 4-0 Ukraine
Northern Ireland ‘s Last 5 Games: WDLWL
26-06-05 Northern Ireland 1-0 Guinea
26-04-01 Wales 1-1 Northern Ireland
26-03-27 Italy 2-0 Northern Ireland
25-11-18 Northern Ireland 1-0 Luxembourg
25-11-15 Slovakia 1-0 Northern Ireland
Head-To-Head Record
82-07-04 France 4-1 Northern Ireland
58-06-19 France 4-0 Northern Ireland
Prediction: France win (handicap -2)