World Cup 2026: France Crush Norway 4-1 With Dembele Show

France powers past Norway to top Group I  

Dembele Dazzles As France Beat Second-String Norway 4-1  
Ousmane Dembele’s hat-trick inspired France to a 4-1 win over a heavily rotated Norway side. The result sees France top Group I with a 100% record and a round of 32 tie against Ivory Coast to come.

Dembele’s hat-trick inspires France past weakened Norway to finish top of Group I...

France clinched first place in World Cup Group I with a dominant 4-1 win over Norway. It was only Norway’s second loss in their last 19 matches at international level.

Norway raised eyebrows before kick-off by making 10 changes to their lineup. The gamble almost went wrong inside 22 seconds when Kylian Mbappe cut in from the right and rattled the crossbar. That miss kept him from netting what would have been the third-quickest goal in World Cup history.

France kept pressing, and Manu Koné forced Egil Selvik into a save from outside the box within the first five minutes. Norway’s defence finally cracked shortly after, as Ousmane Dembele drilled a right-footed shot past a stranded Selvik from inside the area.

Norway wasted a perfect chance to equalise when Jorgen Strand Larsen blasted a loose ball over from six yards. France made them pay immediately. A rapid counter ended with Dembele curling a beautiful strike into the far corner to double the lead.

France’s two-goal cushion lasted barely 10 seconds. From the restart, Thelo Aasgaard pulled one back for Norway, shimmying on the edge of the box to create space before firing a low shot into the bottom corner from 18 yards.

It was shaping up to be one of the best halves of the tournament. France restored their two-goal lead when Dembele completed his hat-trick, shifting the ball to his favored left foot inside the box and bending another pinpoint finish into the far corner.

From that point, only a total collapse looked capable of stopping France. Theo Hernández nearly caused one five minutes after the restart when he brought down Oscar Bobb in the box. Jorgen Strand Larsen stepped up from the spot, but Mike Maignan kept it out - the first penalty save of this World Cup.

Bobb had been central to winning that penalty, and he got Norway’s next big opening too. Aasgaard slipped him in behind, but his left-footed shot lacked power and Maignan gathered comfortably.

Norway’s decision to keep their key players on the bench made it clear they were happy just to progress. They’ll meet Ivory Coast in the round of 32 after advancing to the knockouts.

France put the finishing touch on the win in stoppage time, with Desire Doué heading in a fourth. They’ll find out their last-32 opponent soon, but sweeping all three group games for the first time since they lifted the trophy in 1998 sends a warning to everyone left in the tournament.