Dembélé hat-trick lifts France to top spot; Norway rest Haaland
Ousmane Dembélé scored three goals in 25 minutes as France beat Norway 4-1 to finish top of Group I at the 2026 World Cup.
France secured top spot in Group I of the 2026 World Cup with a dominant 4-1 victory over Norway on Friday. Ousmane Dembélé was the star, netting a hat-trick in the first half – his three goals coming within 25 minutes. He became only the third French player to score a World Cup hat-trick, after Just Fontaine and Kylian Mbappé.
France coach Didier Deschamps missed the match after traveling to attend his mother's funeral. The players had vowed to win in his honor. Norway coach Ståle Solbakken chose to rest nearly all first-choice players, including striker Erling Haaland and captain Martin Ødegaard, to preserve energy for the knockout stage. Both teams had already secured qualification to the Round of 32, but France wanted to top the group for a more favorable travel schedule across North America.
France attacked from the start. Mbappé hit the crossbar within 20 seconds. In the sixth minute, Mbappé set up Dembélé, who cut inside and scored. Dembélé added his second in the 20th minute with a dipping shot. Norway pulled one back through Thelo Aasgaard, but Dembélé completed his hat-trick in the 32nd minute with a low curling shot into the bottom corner. It was the second-fastest hat-trick in World Cup history, behind Erich Probst's 24-minute treble for Austria in 1954.
In the second half, Norway's Jørgen Strand Larsen missed a penalty saved by Mike Maignan. Oscar Bobb also forced a save from Maignan as Norway exposed some defensive frailties. Désiré Doué headed home France's fourth late on from a Bradley Barcola cross.
With the win, France finish top of Group I and are likely to face Sweden in the Round of 32. Norway, as group runners-up, will face Ivory Coast. Deschamps is expected to rejoin the squad on Saturday to prepare for the next round.
