Michael Olise scored a hat-trick as France beat Northern Ireland in Lille, and he did it in the sort of performance that left the night belonging to him long before the final whistle. France signed off in their final home match before the World Cup with a comfortable win, while Northern Ireland were left chasing a game that moved beyond them once Olise found his rhythm.
The timing mattered as much as the goals. This was Didier Deschamps's final home match in charge of France, a farewell on Thursday before the squad prepared to jet off for the 2026 World Cup, and Olise was the player who turned it into a statement. He put France in front before half-time, then completed his treble with a scintillating strike that underlined why the result felt more like a dress rehearsal with consequences than a routine friendly.
Northern Ireland had a moment that could have changed the mood. Kelly was inches away from giving them the lead, a chance that would have forced France to react rather than dictate, but the move came and went without reward. France then went ahead, and once Olise started to settle on the ball, the gap between the sides widened quickly.
Kelly later scored from Charles's cross to cut the deficit, but the reply did not alter the shape of the match for long. France were already in control, and Olise's third goal shut the door on any thought of a late recovery. For Northern Ireland, the night was a reminder that small margins at this level can decide whether a contest stays alive or slips away fast.
The game now gives way to a longer wait for Northern Ireland, who are not back in action until September when they begin their Nations League campaign away to Georgia and at home to Hungary. They then go to Ukraine and Georgia in October before finishing the campaign in November at home to Ukraine and away to Hungary, with hopes that Daniel Ballard and Conor Bradley are fit for those fixtures. France, meanwhile, leave Lille with the outcome they wanted and Olise leaving with the match ball.
