Northern Ireland schedule friendly against France ahead of World Cup
Northern Ireland will face two-time world champions France in a friendly at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Lille on Monday, 8 June as the hosts prepare for their World Cup campaign.
Michael O’Neill’s side are using the fixture to rebuild after failing to reach the upcoming summer tournament.
The Green and White Army saw their qualification hopes dashed following a play-off semi-final defeat against Italy on 26 March.
They subsequently played out a 1-1 draw with fellow semi-final losers Wales five days later in Cardiff.
Testing against the world’s best
This upcoming clash marks a return to French soil for the first time since their memorable Euro 2016 campaign.
It also represents a formidable challenge, as their opponents are currently the top-ranked team in global football.
The two nations last crossed paths during an August 1999 friendly in Belfast, which ended in a narrow 1-0 victory for the visitors.
“This is exactly the level of challenge we want,” said Irish FA technical director Aaron Hughes.
“France are one of the top sides in world football so it’s a great test for our players.”
Deschamps begins farewell tour
For the home side, the Lille fixture serves as crucial preparation for a major tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Manager Didier Deschamps will step down after the competition, bringing the curtain down on a highly successful 14-year international reign.
The 2018 winners are desperate to make amends after suffering penalty shootout heartbreak against Argentina in the previous final.
They will travel to North America to face Senegal in their Group I opener in New Jersey on 16 June, before tackling Iraq and Norway.
Injury blow for the hosts
Les Bleus enjoyed a flawless qualification phase, comfortably navigating matches against Ukraine, Iceland, and Azerbaijan.
Their strong form continued with recent friendly victories over South American giants Brazil and Colombia in March.
However, the French camp has been rocked by the loss of Hugo Ekitike ahead of the summer showpiece.
The forward ruptured his Achilles tendon while playing for Liverpool in a Champions League defeat by Paris St-Germain earlier this week.
