Spain tied 1-1 with Iraq and France fell 2-1 to Ivory Coast in final warm-up matches days before the tournament begins.
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Spain drew 1-1 with Iraq on Thursday in a penultimate warm-up match ahead of the World Cup, leaving questions about the team's form before the tournament begins.
France suffered a more decisive setback the same day, losing 2-1 to Ivory Coast in Nantes. The result marked Ivory Coast's first-ever victory over France, ending a streak of nine matches without defeat for the defending world champions, who had won eight and drawn one in their previous nine outings.
Guela Doué, brother of Paris Saint-Germain forward Desiré Doué, scored and assisted in Ivory Coast's comeback. Doué equalized for the African side and set up Amad Diallo five minutes from the end to secure the victory.
France dominated the opening 30 minutes of the match. Kylian Mbappé, the captain, forced a strong save from Ivory Coast goalkeeper Yahia Fofana early in the contest. However, the French attack struggled to find a breakthrough despite numerous chances. Adrien Rabiot and Ryan Cherki could not convert the team's opportunities as the match remained scoreless through much of the first half.
A defensive error by France nearly proved costly near the end of the first period. Aurélien Tchouameni's fall left the ball at the feet of Ivory Coast's Simon Adingra, but goalkeeper Mike Maignan deflected his shot with his fingertips.
France's performance deteriorated significantly in the second half. The defending champions conceded twice as Ivory Coast completed their turnaround.
Spain's draw with Iraq came in their final preparation match before the World Cup. The result left uncertainty about the Spanish team's readiness for the tournament.
France will face Northern Ireland on Monday in their last warm-up fixture before the World Cup begins.
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