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France return to international footballing action for the first time since November 2021 as they host Ivory Coast at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille.
Les Bleus will play their first international match since a 2-0 win over Finland in mid-November when they take on Ivory Coast on Friday. The France national team qualified for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in rather comfortable fashion, finishing at the top of Group D with 18 points from eight matches.
Didier Deschamps' men are the reigning champions of the world and will head into the tournament as one of the favorites. They will also want to put their early exit from Euro 2020 behind them.
More recently, France won the UEFA Nations League, beating Belgium and Spain in the semi-finals and the final respectively. They came from behind on both occasions and it was a well deserved triumph in the end.
France have one of the strongest squads in the world. Deschamps' men are currently preparing for two friendlies during this international break, the first of which will take place against Ivory Coast on Friday. They will then take on South Africa next Tuesday.
France are currently on a five-game winning streak and are unbeaten since crashing out of Euro 2020 in the Round of 16 on penalties against Switzerland.
Meanwhile, their opponents Ivory Coast will return to their international commitments for the first time since their AFCON 2021 Round of 16 exit at the hands of Egypt. They lost on penalties to the Pharaohs.
Patrice Beaumelle's side have two high-profile friendlies against France and England during this international break.
Ivory Coast have failed to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup after finishing second in their qualification group behind Cameroon. Despite their underwhelming performances in recent times, Ivory Coast have a star-studded side and have enough firepower to put up a fight against France on Friday.
France vs Ivory Coast Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
- France and Ivory Coast have locked horns just twice in the past. Both were friendlies.
- France won the first meeting between the two sides 3-0. The second one ended in a goalless stalemate.
- France are currently on a five-match winning streak. They are unbeaten in their last seven.
- France last lost a game in normal time in November 2020. Finland beat them 2-0 in a friendly.
France vs Ivory Coast Prediction
France are the odds-on favorites to go on and win this game. They have plenty of world-class talent at their disposal.
Despite their underwhelming outing at AFCON 2021 and their failure to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Ivory Coast cannot be underestimated. They have players like Franck Kessie, Eric Bailly, Nicolas Pepe, Sebastian Haller and Serge Aurier among others and can pose some serious problems for France.
Prediction: France 3-1 Ivory Coast
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France vs Ivory Coast Betting Tips
Tip 1: Result - France
Tip 2: Game to have over 2.5 goals - Yes
Tip 3: Both teams to score - Yes
