Dembélé Hits Stunning Treble as France Demolish Norway to Top Group I

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Dembélé Hits Stunning Treble as France Demolish Norway to Top Group I

France 4-1 Norway — FIFA World Cup 2026, Group I, 26 June 2026, Boston Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts

France made an emphatic statement on the final day of the group stage, thumping Norway 4-1 to finish with a perfect record of three wins from three. Ousmane Dembélé was the star turn, scoring a brilliant first-half hat-trick, while substitute Désiré Doué added a fourth in stoppage time. Norway, missing Erling Haaland and several other first-choice players who were rested for the knockouts, got a goal back through Thelo Aasgaard but were never really in the contest.

How it unfolded

Mbappé almost had France ahead inside 22 seconds, rattling the bar early on — a sign of things to come against a heavily rotated Norway side. Dembélé then took over. He opened the scoring in the seventh minute, forcing the ball home despite three defenders around him, and doubled the lead in the 20th with a clinical finish into the same corner.

Norway hit back almost immediately. Just over a minute later, Thelo Aasgaard pulled one back with a sharp finish from the edge of the box to make it 2-1, giving the Scandinavians a brief lift.

It didn't last. In the 32nd minute, Dembélé completed his hat-trick with what was almost a carbon copy of his second goal, wrapping up a treble inside 25 minutes — one of the fastest in World Cup history, behind only Austria's Erich Probst in 1954.

Norway had a route back into the game just after half-time when Theo Hernández brought down Oscar Bobb in the box for a penalty. But Jørgen Strand Larsen's effort was tame, and Mike Maignan saved it comfortably. From there, France were never troubled, and Désiré Doué added the gloss in the final minute of stoppage time, heading in a cross from fellow substitute Bradley Barcola.

The talking points

France go through as Group I winners with a perfect record, and the result will only add to the sense that they're among the genuine favourites for the tournament. Dembélé's performance, in particular, was a reminder that France's attacking threat doesn't begin and end with Mbappé — the reigning Ballon d'Or winner now has four goals at this World Cup, level with his captain.

For Norway, this was always about managing the bigger picture. With qualification already secured and the visit of Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard being saved for the knockouts, manager Ståle Solbakken made ten changes, and it showed. Norway will now face Ivory Coast in the Round of 32, while France look ahead to a tie against one of the third-placed sides.

The bottom line: A ruthless, near-perfect performance from France, capped by one of the great individual displays of the group stage. Dembélé's hat-trick will be talked about for a long time, and France head into the knockouts looking every bit like genuine contenders.