Didier Deschamps has confirmed Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue are ready to start for France against Northern Ireland as Les Bleus look to bounce back from their surprise defeat to Ivory Coast.
France head coach Didier Deschamps has revealed that Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue are expected to start Monday’s friendly against Northern Ireland as Les Bleus complete their preparations for the 2026 World Cup.
The match at Stade Pierre-Mauroy will be France’s final outing before the World Cup begins. Deschamps’ side will be eager to respond after suffering a surprise 2-1 defeat to Ivory Coast, a result that ended their nine-match unbeaten run and raised a few questions ahead of the World Cup.
Dembele and Doue were both left on the bench during that defeat after recently helping Paris Saint-Germain secure Champions League glory against Arsenal. With extra recovery time now behind them, the pair are expected to be given significant minutes as Deschamps continues to shape his preferred starting lineup.
Speaking ahead of the match, the France boss highlighted Doue’s rapid development and the qualities that have made him such an important option for both club and country. Deschamps praised the young attacker for his versatility, creativity, and ability to influence matches in key moments.
“He is a very young player who has just celebrated his 21st birthday,” Deschamps said. “He is decisive with his club and with us too. He has the ability to dribble, eliminate opponents and make a difference while maintaining a high work rate. It gives us another quality option in the squad.”
The veteran coach confirmed that both Doue and Dembele are in contention to start if they remain fully fit, adding that the fixture will help him gain a clearer understanding of his strongest team before the tournament gets underway.
France experimented heavily in the loss to Ivory Coast, making 10 changes to the lineup and handing opportunities to players such as Maghnes Akliouche, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Manu Kone, Michael Olise, and Rayan Cherki. Cherki in particular impressed, scoring France’s only goal with a well-taken finish just before halftime.
