Dembele Steals the Show Against Norway and Rockets Into Golden Boot Contention

France wrapped up a flawless group stage campaign with a commanding 4–1 win over Norway on Friday, fueled by a stunning hat-trick from Ousmane Dembélé.

The fixture was anticipated to be an exciting contest, but Les Bleus quickly became heavy favorites after Norway boss Ståle Solbakken opted to make sweeping changes to his lineup, leaving several key players on the bench, among them Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard.

The opportunity was there for Didier Deschamps's potent attack to exploit such a patchwork defense—and they seized it. Kylian Mbappé provided two assists for Dembélé within the opening 20 minutes, and the Paris Saint-Germain star added his third of the game just 12 minutes after that.

Thelo Aasgaard pulled one back for Norway in the interim, but there was no mounting a comeback for the Vikings. Instead, it was Désiré Doué who netted the only goal of the second half to decisively seal France's win and secure top spot in Group I.

The One Thing We Can't Ignore

Mbappé has justifiably dominated the headlines for France so far at the 2026 World Cup, to the point where Dembélé, the current Ballon d'Or holder, had almost faded into the background. While Mbappé climbed the Golden Boot leaderboard alongside the likes of Lionel Messi, Haaland and Vinicius Junior, Dembélé had managed just one goal through Les Bleus' first two matches.

This had been something of a pattern for Dembélé on the international stage. Despite his brilliance at PSG, the winger entered Friday's match with only eight goals in 61 appearances for his country. By the time the final whistle blew at Foxborough Stadium, he had added three more to that total.

It took Dembélé just 32 minutes to complete his hat-trick, and he did so with flair. The 29-year-old hammered home his first with his right foot, drilled his second with a left-footed effort from range, and then danced through Norway's backline before slotting a third past goalkeeper Egil Selvik.

Dembélé became only the third French player ever to score a World Cup hat-trick, joining Just Fontaine and Mbappé in the history books. He also became the first player in 32 years to net a first-half hat-trick at the tournament.

As if the 2018 World Cup champion wasn't already a daunting enough prospect, Dembélé is now fully firing heading into the knockout rounds. Which team will be capable of stopping Deschamps's devastating attack?

France Player Ratings vs. Norway (4-2-3-1)

*Ratings Provided by FotMob*

GK: Mike Maignan—7.8: Produced a crucial penalty save to preserve France's two-goal lead. Stood firm against a Norway surge in the second half.

RB: Jules Koundé—7.6: It speaks volumes that Norway's best opportunities all came down his side of the pitch. Was second best in his duel with Andreas Schjelderup.

CB: Dayot Upamecano—7.5: Embarrassingly left in the dust by Aasgaard, who found the net while the Frenchman looked on. Redeemed himself with several vital clearances just outside his own goal.

CB: Maxence Lacroix—6.5: Looked shaky in possession, going so far as to play the ball straight to Aasgaard just before the break. Failed to impress on his tournament debut.

LB: Theo Hernández—6.7: Made some glaring errors, including bringing down Oscar Bobb inside the penalty area to hand Norway a spot kick. Did little to quiet his detractors.

CM: Aurélien Tchouaméni—8.8: Relished getting forward, particularly in the opening half. Demonstrated his range of passing with a sublime assist for Dembélé's third. Precise in the tackle, as ever.

CM: Manu Koné—7.2: Will rue the chance he spurned when clean through on goal just before the interval. Looked assured and tidy alongside Tchouaméni, though without truly standing out.

RW: Ousmane Dembélé—9.6: Served as a timely reminder of why he holds the Ballon d'Or. Completed a hat-trick in 32 minutes to thrust himself firmly into the Golden Boot conversation, showcasing his quality with both feet.

AM: Michael Olise—6.8: A subdued display by his high standards. Showed glimpses in transition and combined well with Mbappé and Dembélé for little end product before being withdrawn just after the hour mark.

LW: Désiré Doué—8.5: Regained possession to spark the move for France's second goal. Looked eager to make his mark in the final third, and eventually headed home his first tournament goal in stoppage time.

ST: Kylian Mbappé—8.7: Took on a creative role on this occasion. Assisted both of Dembélé's goals, the second while being hauled to the ground. Denied by the post in the early exchanges.

SUB: Rayan Cherki (65' for Olise)—6.3: Displayed his passing ability, but lacked his trademark inventiveness.

SUB: Bradley Barcola (65' for Dembélé)—7.5: Whipped in the precise cross that teed up Doué's stoppage-time goal.

SUB: Ibrahima Konaté (76' for Upamecano)—6.5: Helped France manage the closing stages without conceding.

SUB: Jean-Philippe Mateta (86' for Mbappé)—N/A

SUB: Malo Gusto (86' for Koundé)—N/A

Subs not used: Brice Samba (GK), Robin Risser (GK), Lucas Digne, Lucas Hernández, William Saliba, N'Golo Kanté, Warren Zaïre-Emery, Maghnes Akliouche, Marcus Thuram.

What the Ratings Tell Us

The Numbers That Explain France's Smooth Victory

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