In a commanding pre-World Cup exhibition match, France demonstrated their championship pedigree with a decisive 3-1 victory over Colombia on Sunday. The fixture, held at the Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland—home to the NFL’s Washington Commanders—drew an impressive attendance of 60,734 spectators.
Emerging talent Désiré Doué emerged as the standout performer, netting a remarkable brace. He opened the scoring in the 29th minute before sealing the French triumph with his second goal in the 56th minute, courtesy of an assist from Marcus Thuram. Thuram himself found the net just before halftime, capitalizing on a precise cross from Maghnes Akliouche.
Colombia managed a consolation goal in the 77th minute through Jáminton Campaz, but were ultimately outclassed by the reigning World Cup champions. The match also featured a notable 78th-minute appearance by global superstar Kylian Mbappé, who entered as a substitute while carefully managing his return from a recent knee injury sustained with his club team, Real Madrid. Mbappé remains poised to equal Olivier Giroud’s all-time French scoring record of 57 goals.
This victory extends France’s unbeaten streak since June 2023, solidifying their status as one of the tournament favorites. Currently ranked second in FIFA’s world rankings, Les Bleus will commence their World Cup campaign against Senegal in East Rutherford, New Jersey on June 16. Colombia, ranked 13th globally and coming off a previous loss to Croatia, will open against Uzbekistan in Mexico City on June 17.