Dembele's Ballon d'Or Case: Hat Trick Against Norway Makes France the World Cup's Unstoppable Team

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Ousmane Dembele's hat trick against Norway on Friday was not just a group stage result. It was a statement of intent from a player who has transformed himself from a frustrating talent into one of the most dangerous attackers in world football. His three goals came in the first 34 minutes, all showing different aspects of his game: pace and composure finishing, movement between defenders to arrive at a near post header, and a direct run that cut through the Norwegian defence before slotting low into the far corner. The performance prompted serious discussion about whether Dembele, not Mbappe, is France's most important player at this tournament.

The Ballon d'Or conversation is genuine. Dembele has been in extraordinary form for Paris Saint-Germain in the year leading into this World Cup, combining previously unmatched physical condition with output that his injury-prone earlier career never sustained. If France go on to win the tournament and Dembele continues at this level, the argument for him over Messi, Haaland and Mbappe becomes very strong. France's 4-1 scoreline against a Norway team that had beaten Iraq 4-1 and been competitive against Senegal in their first two games tells you how dominant the performance was.

Coach Didier Deschamps has France organised in a way that suits Dembele specifically. The directness Deschamps demands, the quick transitions, the license to run at defenders rather than holding possession in complex patterns, plays to everything Dembele does best. The challenge in the knockouts is that organised low-block teams will reduce the space he thrives in. But the group stage has shown what France look like when they are allowed to play freely.

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