Dembele Hat Trick Destroys Norway 4-1 as France Top Group I at World Cup 2026

[Protocol]

What a performance from Les Bleus last night in Boston. Ousmane Dembele tore Norway apart with a first-half hat trick in the seventh, twentieth and thirty-second minutes, making it the fastest first-half hat trick at the World Cup since Oleg Salenko in 1994. France were simply on a different level from the opening whistle and Didier Deschamps clearly wanted to make a statement going into the knockouts.

Norway made ten changes from the side that beat Senegal, resting Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard among others. You can understand the logic but when France line up full strength against you it is asking for trouble. Thelo Aasgaard did get one back for Norway between Dembele's second and third goals which gave a brief moment of excitement, but the game was already over as a contest by halftime.

The funniest moment of the match came from Jorgen Strand Larsen missing a penalty early in the second half with the score at 3-1. Norway needed that goal badly and Maignan made it look very routine. Desire Doue added the fourth in injury time and France finish top of Group I having won all three games for just the second time in their history. Dembele now has four goals at this tournament and looks absolutely electric.

Norway 1-4 France (Jun 26, 2026) Game Analysis - ESPNwww.espn.com

[RandyOrton26]

Norway resting Haaland against France is a massive gamble that backfired spectacularly. Second place in the group is fine but you have to wonder what the knockout draw looks like for them now

[Dank15]

That missed penalty is going to haunt Strand Larsen. At 3-1 you score that and suddenly Norway are right back in it, game completely different. Instead Maignan barely moved

[Aaron_67]

Second fastest first half hat trick in World Cup history is just insane. Dembele is playing the tournament of his life. Ballon d'Or winner and now this

[Ridge]

I know Norway rested loads of players but France going full strength says everything about how seriously they are taking this tournament. No rotation, no mercy

[NeutrinoX54]

Doue scoring in injury time to make it four was just rubbing it in at that point. Deschamps clearly wanted goal difference in the bank

[WaveFunction30]

Has Mbappe even broken a sweat yet? Sixteen goals in seventeen World Cup matches and he is just coasting. Scary thought for everyone else in the draw

[Finley_19]

Anyone else notice how much space France gave Norway in the first half but it did not matter because France scored every time they went forward? Clinical is not the word

[AustinTheory]

Four goals and only 1.31 xG for France tells you everything about their finishing. Norway actually created slightly more but look at the scoreline