France have completed their 2026 World Cup qualifiers with a hundred percent after their 3-1 win in Azerbaijan.
After securing the 2026 World Cup slot with a victory over Ukraine on Wednesday, Les Bleus were victorious on Sunday in Azerbaijan with a largely revamped side.
France, which finished their qualifying phase for the 2026 World Cup without losing a single match.
They were initially stopped from qualifying with two games to go after being held to a 2-2 draw by Iceland in the last international break.
They ensured qualification for the World Cup, coming back from a goal down.
Azerbaijan scored an early goal in the 4th minute through Renat Dadashov. Les Bleus turned things around in the same half on Sunday evening, finishing 3-1 in their sixth and final qualifying match for the 2026 World Cup.
Didier Deschamps named a completely revamped, unprecedented starting eleven that took some time to get into the game.
The restored parity through Jean-Philippe Mateta in the 17th minute before Maghnes Akliouche turned it around.
They then extended their lead via an own goal by the Azerbaijan goalie Shakhrudin Magomedaliyev, who misjudged a corner in the 45th after the ball touched Kephram Thuram.
Although they had a poor second half and failed to score, France recovered well and didn’t benefit all the French players dreaming of a place in the 26-man squad for the World Cup equally.
Azerbaijan opened the goals chat as they punished Malo Gusto to score their first-ever goal against France as Dashdamirov released a cross behind the Chelsea defender, and Dadashov finished past Lucas Hernandez with their first shot on target in the 4th minute.
Although Lucas Chevalier conceded his first goal on his national team debut, he seemed to be on holiday from then on.
The experimental French side lacked almost everything in the first quarter of an hour, particularly aggression and movement, but regained control of the game, and the rest of the period was a sustained period of dominance, with excellent use of the flanks.
Gusto was then set up by Akliouche for a header from Jean-Philippe Mateta to restore parity in his second start and second goal for France.
Gusto was instrumental in another disallowed goal for Nkunku due to a decisive deflection off the arm.
The former Lyon player provided two further assists, volleying home a Khephren Thuram cross to set up an easy goal for Akliouche.
After another goal was disallowed for a handball by Ekitike again from a Gusto cross, Thuram was instrumental in making it 3-1, but the goal wasn’t credited to him.
It was Mahammadaliyev who took charge, coming out as if he needed a butterfly net to catch the ball, and ultimately scoring himself.
The second half lacked class as it was like a test of national team spirit, while the others saw it as an evening to manage.
There was not much action as they were chasing statistics more than supporting each other; it resembled almost nothing, or at least nothing very interesting, not even after Deschamps introduced Ryan Cherki and Florian Thauvin.
