Ousmane Dembele scores hat-trick as France beat Norway 4-1 to top Group I
France defeated Norway 4-1 behind a first-half hat-trick from Ousmane Dembele to finish their group stage campaign with a perfect three-win record.
France solidified their position at the top of Group I with a dominant 4-1 victory over Norway at Boston Stadium on Friday, June 26, 2026. The result, underpinned by a first-half hat-trick from Ousmane Dembélé, ensures that Les Bleus advance to the Round of 32 with a perfect record of three wins from three matches.
The fixture, which had been framed in many outlets as a showdown between superstars Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappé, saw both coaches prioritize tournament longevity over a high-stakes clash. With both nations having already secured progression to the knockout stages, Norway manager Ståle Solbakken opted to rotate his starting XI heavily, making 10 changes. The decision left both Haaland and captain Martin Odegaard on the bench, a move that denied fans the expected head-to-head. France, meanwhile, navigated the game without head coach Didier Deschamps, who was absent to attend his mother’s funeral. Assistant coach Guy Stephan took charge of the sideline duties.
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France’s attacking intent was immediate. Kylian Mbappé struck the crossbar just 22 seconds after kickoff, setting the tone for a match in which the French repeatedly exploited gaps in a disorganized Norwegian defense. The breakthrough arrived in the seventh minute when Mbappé delivered a crossfield pass that allowed Dembélé to weave inside and fire the opening goal into the bottom corner. Dembélé doubled his tally in the 20th minute, again cutting inside before curling a left-footed effort beyond goalkeeper Egil Selvik.
Norway responded quickly to the second goal, with Thelo Aasgaard scoring from the edge of the box after an assist by Andreas Schjelderup. However, the respite was brief. Dembélé completed his hat-trick in the 32nd minute, maintaining the same clinical approach of drifting inside to find the far corner.
Following the interval, Norway had a golden opportunity to narrow the deficit when Oscar Bobb was tripped in the box by Theo Hernandez. Jørgen Strand Larsen stepped up to take the resulting penalty, but his effort was saved by French goalkeeper Mike Maignan. The scoring concluded in added time when substitute Désiré Doué headed in a cross from Bradley Barcola to finalize the 4-1 scoreline.
Tournament Progression
As group winners, France now moves on to their next stage of the competition. Their upcoming path is defined by the following schedule:
- France: Scheduled to face a third-placed team—likely Sweden—on Tuesday, June 30, at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey (kick-off 10:00 PM).
- Norway: Will face Ivory Coast in Dallas, Texas, also on Tuesday, June 30, at 6:00 PM.
Reflecting on the performance, Stephan noted that while the team enjoyed the attacking success, there remains room for improvement.
"Obviously I am thinking a lot about Didier. I will talk to him later but we are all really pleased that he is coming back really soon... Ousmane was so clinical today. To score three goals in a World Cup game is exceptional."
Guy Stephan, assistant coach, via Sports/Yahoo
Norway’s manager, Ståle Solbakken, acknowledged the defensive difficulties his side faced against France's transition play.
"Dembele obviously had a day when he hit the ball very cleanly and it was a struggle for us. We were not able to help Fredrik... We should have been more there for him than we were but two of the finishes were world-class."
Ståle Solbakken, manager, via Sports/Yahoo
While the result favored France, the match served to reset the fitness levels of Norway’s core players. Solbakken emphasized that the goal of the rotation was to maintain the health of his primary contributors for the duration of the knockout rounds. Meanwhile, France finishes the group phase having scored 10 goals in three matches, a statistic that has established them as a focal point for observers analyzing potential tournament victors.
