Didier Deschamps rolled the dice with a completely rotated XI, and France still brushed Colombia aside 3-1 in Maryland on Sunday, sending a clear message ahead of his World Cup squad call. This wasn’t just a win; it was a depth check, and France passed with authority.
That authority didn’t arrive instantly. Colombia started sharp, pressed high, and disrupted France’s rhythm early on. France absorbed that spell, then flipped control with cleaner possession and quicker vertical play.
The breakthrough came on 29 minutes through Désiré Doué. Colombia failed to clear their lines, Doue pounced, and drilled low into the corner. First international goal, taken with zero hesitation.
France built on that momentum before the break. Marcus Thuram attacked a curling delivery and powered a header in off the bar, doubling the lead and underlining France’s aerial threat.
Deschamps’ system clicked because the midfield moved the ball with purpose. Rayan Cherki drifted between lines, linked play, and kept Colombia chasing shadows once France settled.
That control turned into a third on 56 minutes. France broke at pace, Thuram squared unselfishly, and Doue finished clinically for his second. The move captured France at their best—direct, sharp, and ruthless in transition.
Colombia did respond. Jaminton Campaz pulled one back with a tidy angled finish on 77 minutes, but the goal changed little. France never lost grip; they simply managed the closing stages.
Deschamps then introduced Kylian Mbappé and Hugo Ekitike late on, and both immediately threatened. Mbappé even found the net, but the flag cut the celebration short.
After the match, Cherki didn’t hold back. He said, “What we’ve produced over these two games is really interesting. We can’t wait to be in June,” and that confidence reflects a squad brimming with options rather than relying on a single star.
Deschamps echoed that view. He said, “A very positive sporting assessment against two very strong South American teams. We gave a lot of players opportunities, and the quality is there,” and that reads like a manager who has already seen enough to trust his depth.
France now head toward their final warm-ups with Ivory Coast and another opponent, but the bigger decision looms on 14 May when the squad drops.
