Kylian Mbappe claims he's 'saving' best form for World Cup as ineffective France captain put in shade by hat-trick hero Michael Olise

France secured a 3-1 victory over Northern Ireland in their final outing before departing for the World Cup, but the spotlight fell on contrasting performances from two of their biggest attacking stars.

Mbappe endured a third consecutive match without scoring despite creating several opportunities. The drought is unusual for the France captain, who has scored 56 goals in 98 international appearances, but neither the player nor his manager appear alarmed by the situation. Instead, it was Olise who grabbed the headlines. The Bayern Munich winger produced a brilliant hat-trick in Lille, continuing the impressive form he has shown at club level and strengthening his growing influence within the national team.

Despite a frustrating evening where Mbappe appeared frequently disjointed in attack, Deschamps remains unphased by the striker recent lack of clinical finishing. The head coach laughed off suggestions that his talisman was struggling for confidence.

"I'm not going to worry. It's true he's had several chances, but he hasn't been clinical. He told me he was saving it for the USA, so I'm fine with that," Deschamps told TF1.

While Mbappe struggled to ignite, Olise produced a performance that cemented his status as France’s most in-form player heading into the tournament. The 24-year-old was relentless, pouncing on rebounds either side of the interval before completing his treble with a stunning curled effort from distance.

Deschamps was glowing in his assessment of the winger, suggesting that Olise might even be the team's primary offensive threat right now. He said: "He's radiant, just like his season at Bayern. Everything is easy for him. He's efficient, and that's great. We'll also need other players."

France are set to travel to their training base near Boston as attention turns fully to the World Cup. Deschamps will hope his side can improve their cohesion while ensuring key players arrive in peak condition. Both Mbappe and Olise are expected to lead France to glory in North America, where they are in Group I alongside Senegal, Iraq and Norway.