France secured top spot in Group I at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a clinical 4-1 victory over Norway, inspired by a sensational first-half hat-trick from Ousmane Dembele.
With both teams already through to the knockout stage, much of the pre-match attention centred on a potential showdown between Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland. However, Norway manager Stale Solbakken rested several first-team players, including Haaland, making 10 changes to his starting lineup.
France took full advantage of the heavily rotated Norwegian side, with Dembele producing one of the finest individual displays of the tournament.
The Paris Saint-Germain winger opened the scoring in the seventh minute after being set up by Mbappe before doubling France’s advantage in the 20th minute with a brilliant curling effort following a swift counterattack.
Norway briefly reduced the deficit less than two minutes later when Thelo Aasgaard capitalised on a defensive lapse to beat goalkeeper Mike Maignan.
Dembele, however, completed his memorable hat-trick in just 32 minutes, curling another left-footed strike beyond goalkeeper Egil Selvik to restore France’s two-goal cushion before half-time.
The three-goal burst marked the first World Cup first-half hat-trick since Oleg Salenko achieved the feat for Russia against Cameroon in 1994. It also ranks as the second-fastest hat-trick from the start of a men’s FIFA World Cup match, behind Erich Probst’s 24-minute treble for Austria in 1954.
France were managed by assistant coach Guy Stephan, with head coach Didier Deschamps absent following the death of his mother.
Norway had opportunities to mount a comeback after the break, but Strand Larsen saw his penalty saved by Maignan, while Oscar Bobb was also denied by the French goalkeeper.
Dembele was substituted midway through the second half after an outstanding performance, but France added a fourth goal in stoppage time when Desire Doue headed home to complete the convincing victory.
The result sees France finish as Group I winners with maximum points, while Norway advance to the Round of 32 despite suffering their first defeat of the tournament.
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