Michael Olise scored a hat-rick as France beat Northern Ireland 3-1 in Lille before the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Bayern Munich winger scored his first senior international hat-trick to inspire Les Bleus and underline why he is expected to play a key role in France’s World Cup campaign.
France dominated possession from the opening whistle and created several chances before finally breaking the deadlock shortly before half-time. Ousmane Dembele’s effort fell kindly for Olise, who reacted quickest to finish from close range and send the home supporters into celebration.
Northern Ireland had worked hard to frustrate the hosts and briefly thought they had found an equaliser before the interval, but the goal was ruled out following a foul in the build-up.
Any hopes the visitors had of getting back into the contest suffered a blow early in the second half when Olise struck again. The loose ball dropped kindly inside the penalty area and the winger made no mistake, firing home to double France’s advantage.
Northern Ireland responded positively and pulled a goal back through Patrick Kelly, who scored his first senior international goal after good work from Shea Charles. The strike briefly raised hopes of a comeback and injected some tension into the match.
However, Olise settled the contest in style. The 24-year-old curled a superb effort into the far corner from outside the box to complete his hat-trick and secure a comfortable victory for France.
The result extended France’s unbeaten record against Northern Ireland and allowed Deschamps to end his final home fixture on a high note after the recent defeat to Ivory Coast.
Deschamps was full of praise for Olise after the match and challenged him to carry that form into the World Cup.
“We’ll need a Michael Olise at that level,” Deschamps said.
“Michael stands out because of the season he has had at Bayern and with us.
“He has achieved some really great things, he is full of confidence. He also has the ability to put in the effort, which is remarkable.”
