For this second friendly match of the Blues’ tour to the United States, three days after a prestigious victory against Brazil (2-1) in Foxborough (Massachusetts, northeast), Didier Deschamps fielded a largely overhauled team.
“I want to see as many players on the field as possible,” explained the coach on Saturday at a press conference before challenging the Copa America finalist, third in the South America zone and second best attack behind Argentina.
And Akliouche (24), author of six goals in Ligue 1 this season, was able to take advantage of his seventh selection to shine.
“He’s very interesting because he puts a lot of speed… He had a little difficulty at the start, he was a little shy at the first rally, then he broke free, he’s capable of doing very good things,” Didier Deschamps commented after the match on TF1.
Holder and positioned on the right side, but often switching in the axis, the full-back was involved in the three goals of the Blues: he overflowed to the right for Rayan Cherki who deviated for Marcus Thuram then for Désiré Doué. For his sixth selection, the Parisian scored his first goal for the French team with a low shot deflected by Colombian defender Daniel Munoz (29th).
Twelve minutes later, still on the right, Akliouche sent an aerial cross which Thuram headed back (41st).
United States objective
In the 56th minute, it was again Akliouche who recovered the ball in midfield to launch Cherki, who found Thuram on the right. The Inter Milan striker crossed for Doué who scored his second goal of the day.
He also attempted strikes (caught by the goalkeeper in the 22nd, too heavy in the 27th) and participated in defensive pressing, particularly in the second half when the Cafeteros took the game into their own hands.
Exited in the 64th minute, he was replaced by Randal Kolo Muani.
“I’m very happy, we don’t necessarily know each other that much on the pitch but we managed to get along well,” said the striker in the mixed zone. “It’s my goal to be decisive, to help the team score and to defend well,” he added, without wanting to comment on his chances of being part of the selection this summer.
Akliouche had honored his first selection on September 5, 2025 for the match against Ukraine (2-0 victory). He scored his first goal in Azerbaijan (3-1 victory) during qualifying for the World Cup, for his first start.
“I have evolved on many points. I discovered a world with the France team, experienced good moments, some more complicated,” he said in mid-March in an interview with AFP about his experience with the Blues.
As for the World Cup this summer, “my goal is to be in the United States! If I go there, the goal will then be to play, to be efficient, decisive,” he said.
However, he will have to perform even better at club level to have a chance of traveling to America, in a position where Ousmane Dembélé is the indisputable holder.
He has two friendly matches left (June 4 against the Ivory Coast in Nantes and June 8 in Lille against an opponent yet to be determined) to accompany the Blues to Boston, where their base camp will be located during the World Cup.
© 2026 AFP
