Playing without star striker Erling Haaland, a rotated Norway side battled bravely but were ultimately outclassed by a clinical and creative French attack led by the Barcelona forward. Désiré Doué added a late fourth goal to complete the rout.
Dembélé’s Historic Treble
France flew out of the blocks, with Kylian Mbappé hitting the crossbar inside the first minute. The breakthrough came in the 7th minute when Dembélé cut in from the right and unleashed a trademark left-footed strike into the far corner.
He doubled his tally in the 20th minute and completed a breathtaking hat-trick by the 32nd minute, becoming the standout performer on the night. Mbappé played a key role in the build-up for at least one of the goals, highlighting their potent partnership.
Norway pulled one back through Thelo Aasgaard in the 21st minute, giving the underdogs brief hope, but France’s superior quality and depth proved decisive. A missed penalty by Norway’s Strand Larsen further dented their chances.
Désiré Doué capped the scoring with a well-taken header in the 90+4th minute, making it 4-1 and ensuring a comfortable finish.
France Dominate Group I
With three wins from three matches, France top Group I with a maximum nine points. Their attacking flair and defensive solidity have been impressive throughout the group stage. Norway, despite the defeat, advance to the Round of 32 as runners-up.
Full-time: Norway 1-4 France Goals:
- Norway: Thelo Aasgaard (21')
- France: Ousmane Dembélé (7', 20', 32'), Désiré Doué (90+4')
Key Performers:
- Ousmane Dembélé (France) — Hat-trick hero and Man of the Match contender.
- Kylian Mbappé (France) — Creative force and constant threat.
- Thelo Aasgaard (Norway) — Scored a consolation goal and showed fighting spirit.
Match Stats Highlights:
- France dominated possession and created numerous high-quality chances.
- Norway showed resilience but lacked the cutting edge without their talisman Haaland.
This commanding victory sends a strong message to the rest of the tournament. As one of the pre-tournament favorites, France now look ahead to the knockout stages with confidence, while Norway will regroup for what promises to be a challenging Round of 32 tie.
Les Bleus are marching on — with Dembélé and Mbappé in this kind of form, they will be very difficult to stop.
Stay tuned for more 2026 FIFA World Cup coverage as the knockout rounds approach.