France beat Northern Ireland 3-1 with Olise hat-trick

France finished World Cup preparations with a 3-1 victory over Northern Ireland. Michael Olise scored a hat‑trick in the win. Didier Deschamps deployed Kylian Mbappé as the number nine in a 4‑2‑3‑1 system. Ousmane Dembélé operated in the central hole rather than on the wing. Désiré Doué started on the left flank while Michael Olise kept his right‑wing position from the previous 2‑1 defeat of Ivory Coast. William Saliba played the first half despite a reported back injury before being substituted at halftime. The injury sparked concern for both the French national side and his club Arsenal. Deschamps continues to search for a balanced formula as the attack appeared top‑heavy and Mbappé misfired. The team relied on individual moments of brilliance, notably Olise’s creativity, while the defence showed fragility across the two friendlies. Counter‑attacks exposed the French defence, raising doubts about their resilience against stronger opponents. The lineup used against Northern Ireland is expected to be retained for the upcoming friendly against Senegal on 16 June. Rayan Cherki, who made a strong case in the previous match, remains a candidate as France struggled to break Northern Ireland down in the first half.