FIFA World Cup 2026: Ousmane Dembélé dazzles with first-half hat-trick as France beat Norway 4-1

France underlined their status as one of the favourites for the FIFA World Cup 2026 title after cruising to a 4-1 victory over Norway in their final Group I match, with Ousmane Dembélé stealing the spotlight through a devastating first-half hat-trick.

The emphatic win ensured France finished the group stage with three victories from three matches, collecting the maximum nine points to seal top spot in Group I. Norway, despite the defeat, also progressed to the Round of 32 after finishing second in the group.

Dembélé wasted little time making his mark, opening the scoring in the seventh minute after being set up by captain Kylian Mbappé. The winger doubled France's advantage in the 20th minute with another clinical finish before completing his hat-trick just 12 minutes later, leaving Norway's defence with no answers. The treble was completed in just 25 minutes, making it one of the fastest hat-tricks in FIFA World Cup history.

Norway briefly threatened a comeback when Thelo Aasgaard pulled one back midway through the first half, but France remained firmly in control throughout the contest. Désiré Doué added the fourth goal deep into stoppage time to cap another dominant display from Didier Deschamps' side.

The match had initially been billed as a showdown between Mbappé and Norway striker Erling Haaland, but it was Dembélé who emerged as the undisputed star. His performance marked his first-ever FIFA World Cup goals after previous appearances in earlier editions of the tournament and elevated him into the race for the Golden Boot with four goals.

France produced another fluid attacking display despite the absence of head coach Didier Deschamps, who missed the match following the death of his mother. Assistant coach Guy Stéphan oversaw the team from the sidelines as Les Bleus continued their impressive march through the tournament.

The victory further highlighted France's attacking depth, with Mbappé contributing assists and several creative players combining effectively in the final third. The team's ability to spread goals across multiple forwards has made them one of the most feared sides heading into the knockout rounds.

Norway, meanwhile, opted to rotate heavily, leaving several key players, including Haaland and Martin Ødegaard, on the bench with qualification already secured. The decision allowed France to dominate possession and exploit defensive gaps throughout the opening half.

France will now face Sweden in the Round of 32, while Norway are set to take on Ivory Coast as both teams look to continue their World Cup journeys.