Guéla Doué scores and assists as Ivory Coast stun France in World Cup warm-up

Guéla Doué was the architect of Ivory Coast’s victory over France (2-1) on Thursday evening at La Beaujoire in Nantes, in a 2026 World Cup warm-up match. The RC Strasbourg right-back, born in Angers, scored the equalizer and then provided the decisive assist for Amad Diallo’s winning goal in the 84th minute.

After Rayan Cherki’s opening goal before half-time, the Ivorians equalized just after the hour mark through Doué. On a move set up by Elye Wahi’s lay-off, Nicolas Pépé sent him through on goal and the defender finished (53rd minute). Thirty-one minutes later, it was Doué who crossed from the right, after receiving the ball from Pépé, allowing Amad Diallo to seal the victory.

With this goal, Guéla Doué enters a very exclusive list: he is the fifth player born in France to have scored against the French national team. Before him, Franco-Swiss Jacques Fatton was the first to achieve this feat, scoring four goals in four matches against France in the 1950s. Djamel Belmadi, born in Champigny-sur-Marne, followed during the controversial France-Algeria match in October 2001. Nicolas Pépé, born in Mantes-la-Jolie, also found the net during an Ivorian victory at the Vélodrome in March 2022. Finally, Wahbi Khazri, born in Ajaccio and trained at SC Bastia, secured victory for Tunisia against France at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, beating Steve Mandanda.

Formed at Stade Rennais like his younger brother Désiré — PSG and France midfielder who remained on the bench that evening — Guéla Doué received a long embrace from his brother at the final whistle. The two brothers, born to a French mother and an Ivorian father, thus experienced a special evening in Nantes, each in opposing camps.

France, 2022 World Cup runners-up, will begin their North American World Cup on June 16 in New York against Senegal, a team that also has several France-born players in its ranks.