At a moment that left no room for stumbling, France recalibrated with conviction. Three clean goals, one name behind them all Mikhaïl Olise and a precious note of reassurance tucked into Deschamps' pocket before the flight to America.
Les Bleus left no room for doubt against Northern Ireland, as Olise brought the curtain down on the evening with a stunning hat-trick that restored the shine to both players and fans alike, in a match that ended 3-1 to the hosts.
The timing could not have been more significant. France arrive at this World Cup weighed down by enormous expectations, and any stumble at this stage would have amplified the pressure considerably. But Olise rapidly becoming one of the most electrifying names in European football delivered something that felt like a statement: France are here, and they mean business.
The World Cup kicks off on Thursday, and French instinct says that this final punch before stepping into the big arena landed at exactly the right moment.
