June 8, 2026
France’s forward #11 Michael Olise (3)celebrates scoring his team’s second goal with teammates during the international friendly football match between France and North Ireland at the Decathlon Arena – Pierre Mauroy stadium in Villeneuve-d’Ascq, northern France on June 8, 2026, ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup football tournament. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)
Michael Olise sparkled brightest in a star-studded France attack on Monday, hitting a hat-trick in a 3-1 World Cup warm-up win over outgunned Northern Ireland in Lille.
Bayern Munich’s Olise and Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe were joined in a fearsome front four by Desire Doue and Ousmane Dembele. The Paris Saint-Germain pair had been rested for the previous friendly — a loss to Ivory Coast — after winning the Champions League.
Another Champions League finalist, William Saliba of losers Arsenal, also returned to give France a look similar to how they could line up for their World Cup opener against Senegal in New Jersey on June 16.
