France delivered a commanding performance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, defeating Norway 4-1 in a thrilling Group I encounter, with Ousmane Dembélé stealing the spotlight through a sensational first-half hat-trick.
The Paris Saint-Germain forward wasted no time asserting dominance, finding the back of the net in the 7th, 20th, and 32nd minutes to put France firmly in control.
His clinical display ensured Les Bleus maintained their perfect run in the group stage, finishing top of Group I in emphatic fashion.
Pre-match anticipation had centered on a potential clash between France captain Kylian Mbappé and Norway’s prolific striker Erling Haaland.
However, the much-anticipated duel failed to materialize after Haaland was surprisingly left on the bench, shifting the focus entirely to Dembélé’s brilliance.
Norway briefly threatened a comeback when Thelo Aasgaard pulled one back in the 21st minute.
But any hopes of a revival were quickly dashed as Dembélé completed his hat-trick moments later to restore France’s two-goal cushion.
A missed penalty by Jørgen Strand Larsen early in the second half further compounded Norway’s woes.
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Desire Doué added a fourth goal deep into stoppage time to seal a comprehensive victory for the 2022 World Cup runners-up.
The match was played under emotional circumstances for France following the recent departure of head coach Didier Deschamps due to a family bereavement.
Both teams also observed a moment of silence before kickoff in honor of victims of the Venezuela earthquake.
With the win, France advances to the Round of 32, where they will face one of the best third-placed teams. Norway, meanwhile, will battle Ivory Coast for a place in the next round.
Elsewhere, Senegal reignited their qualification hopes with a dominant 5-0 victory over Iraq.
The emphatic win marks their first points of the tournament, significantly boosting their goal difference as they await results from other groups to determine their fate.
In other fixtures, Spain is set to face Uruguay in a decisive Group H clash, while Egypt will aim to secure top spot in Group G against Iran in a match surrounded by off-field controversy.
As the group stage draws to a close, the race for knockout qualification intensifies, with several teams still battling for a place in the next round.
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