Faé sees France "doubly armed" at every position ahead of 2026 World Cup

Ivory Coast manager Émerse Faé paid tribute to the French team on the eve of their friendly match scheduled for Thursday in Nantes, believing the Blues have rare squad depth as the 2026 World Cup approaches.

When asked at a press conference about the tournament favorites, Faé chose his words carefully while delivering an unambiguous message. “I don’t want to hide it from Didier, since he doesn’t like the favorite status, I’ll say no. But still, you have to admit it’s a very formidable team,” he said. “They are armed at every position, I would even say doubly armed at each position. They are not favorites, but they have weapons.”

The Ivorian coach also discussed Kylian Mbappé, whose end of season at Real Madrid was disrupted by physical issues. Faé nonetheless expressed confidence about the French captain’s fitness for the World Cup. “I think that after Real’s elimination from the Ligue des Champions, his objective was to prepare as best as possible for the World Cup and I think he will come very very strong,” he said.

This trip to Nantes has a personal dimension for Faé, who played for the club for four seasons, from 2003 to 2007. The match is part of both teams’ preparation ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

France, twice consecutive finalist — including a title in 2018 — and beaten by Argentina in the 2022 final, will play in a group with Norway, Senegal and Iraq. Ivory Coast, meanwhile, will face Ecuador, Germany and Curaçao in their group.