France Lose 1‑2 to Ivory Coast, Djorkaeff Praises Cherki

France fell 1‑2 to Ivory Coast in their first 2026 World Cup warm‑up on Thursday evening. Former France star Youri Djorkaeff later told RMC that the result did not raise concerns for the squad. The match marked the opening of the French national team's preparation schedule for the 2026 tournament. Ivory Coast secured the win with two goals while France managed only one. Djorkaeff gave his comments in an interview with the programme "Anaïs Matin". The full interview will be broadcast on RMC on Sunday at 08:40. Djorkaeff highlighted forward Rayan Cherki as the sole scorer for France. He said Cherki "has demonstrated that he has the quality" to merit a place in the squad. Djorkaeff stressed that the narrow defeat does not threaten France's World Cup ambitions. He emphasized the need to build on the performance ahead of the next fixtures. France will continue its preparation with further friendly matches before the 2026 World Cup. The coaching staff will assess players like Cherki as the squad finalises.