Dembélé’s hat-trick in 32 minutes leaves Norway’s B-side shell-shocked

France took a commanding 3-1 lead inside 32 minutes of their FIFA World Cup group-stage clash with Norway in Boston, with Ousmane Dembélé netting a first-half hat-trick. The opener arrived after seven minutes when Mbappé fed Dembélé on the right flank; the Barcelona winger rounded Selvik and curled a first-time shot into the far corner. Norway’s B-side, already qualified for the knockout phase, fielded ten changes from their usual XI and showed little resistance to Les Bleus’ relentless pressure. Dembélé doubled the lead after 20 minutes. Tchouaméni intercepted in midfield, played a quick one-two with Olisé, and Dembélé finished clinically after Mbappé’s cut-back. Norway’s response came within a minute: Aasgaard’s slick dribble and finish pulled one back, but Dembélé restored the two-goal cushion inside half an hour, turning inside Ostigard before drilling low past Selvik. Norway’s approach lacked urgency from the outset. Haaland started on the bench, and Solbakken’s side prioritised rotation over result. “We must be mentally and physically fresh for the knockout phase,” the Norwegian coach said. “This tournament is a pressure cooker.” The hosts’ tactical naivety was exposed repeatedly, with Upamecano and Koné repeatedly bypassing Norway’s high line.

Dembélé’s hat-trick seals France’s third straight World Cup win

France’s intensity peaked early. Mbappé forced the first save from Selvik inside three minutes, and Dembélé’s second goal arrived after a swift counter involving Doué and Olisé. Norway’s only bright spell came after the drinks break, with Aasgaard and Schjelderup combining before Strand Larsen’s cross was dealt with by Upamecano. Yet every French attack carried genuine danger, and Hernández’s long-range effort on 23 minutes underlined their dominance. Selvik, Norway’s goalkeeper, made five saves in the opening 18 minutes alone. Mbappé’s early strike rattled the woodwork, and Dembélé’s third goal arrived after a prolonged French possession sequence ended with a whipped cross to the back post. By the drinks break at 25 minutes, the game was effectively over as a contest.

Deschamps leaves World Cup squad for mother's funeral, misses Norway

Guy Stéphan, standing in for the absent Deschamps, echoed the side’s focus on progression. “Didier and the whole group want absolutely to take that first place,” he said. France now face a lighter logistical burden, with Dallas or Miami no longer on the itinerary if they finish top. Norway, meanwhile, will regroup in North Carolina ahead of their Round of 16 tie. The match also carried off-field significance. Deschamps missed the game due to his mother’s funeral, while Ostigard had celebrated the birth of his child via video call hours before kick-off. “Totally exhausted,” he said afterward, yet still sharp enough to start the game.