Flawless France top group, Cape Verde make history at World Cup 2026
France has won all three group-stage matches for the first time since 1998, while Cape Verde secured a historic round-of-32 berth with a goalless draw against Saudi Arabia on their World Cup debut.
France's national football team finished the group stage of the 2026 World Cup without a single defeat for the first time since 1998. In their final group match, Les Bleus cruised past Norway with a 4-1 victory, powered by an Ousmane Dembélé hat-trick and a bullet header from Désiré Doué.
Elsewhere, Senegal kept their hopes alive by thrashing Iraq 5-0, though they face a nervous wait to see if they qualify as one of the eight best third-placed teams. In Group H, Cape Verde pulled off a major shock by holding Saudi Arabia to a 0-0 draw, securing second place and a direct spot in the round of 32. It is a stunning achievement for the island nation making its World Cup debut. Meanwhile, Uruguay were eliminated after a narrow 1-0 defeat to Spain.
