Norway vs France — Match Details | Betmana

Full Time

World Cup· Season 2026

26 June 2026 at 20:00Gillette Stadium, Boston

France

Ousmane Dembélé scored a first-half hat-trick as France beat a rotated Norway side 4-1 at Gillette Stadium to finish top of World Cup Group I with a perfect record.

Match Videos

Highlights | Norway 1-4 France | FIFA World Cup 2026™

Match Analysis

AI Summary

How it unfolded

France needed less than seven minutes to break through. Kylian Mbappé, winning his 101st cap, slipped Dembélé in on the right flank. The PSG forward cut inside, feinted back onto his stronger right foot and drilled a low finish across Egil Selvik into the far corner.

Dembélé doubled the lead in the 20th minute — again from a Mbappé pass — cutting in from the right and curling a left-footed shot into the opposite bottom corner. It was 2-0 and France were cruising.

Norway hit back immediately. Andreas Schjelderup found Thelo Aasgaard, who drove a low strike past Mike Maignan in the 21st minute to make it 2-1. The response lasted just 11 minutes.

Aurélien Tchouaméni picked out Dembélé inside the area, and the 29-year-old curled his third of the night — again on his left foot, again into the same bottom corner — to restore France's two-goal cushion in the 32nd minute. Three goals in 25 minutes. The only French players to previously score a World Cup hat-trick were Just Fontaine (twice in 1958) and Kylian Mbappé (2022 final).

Norway had a golden chance to cut the deficit early in the second half. Oscar Bobb was tripped by Theo Hernández in the box, but Jørgen Strand Larsen's 50th-minute penalty was weak and central, allowing Maignan to save comfortably.

Désiré Doué headed France's fourth deep into stoppage time (90'+4), nodding in from a Bradley Barcola cross to cap the scoring.

The turning point

Aasgaard's 21st-minute equaliser — just 60 seconds after France's second — briefly threatened to turn the game into a shootout. But Dembélé's third goal in the 32nd minute, exploiting space left by Norway's high defensive line after they had pushed up in celebration, killed any momentum Norway had generated. The game was effectively over before half-time.

Key performers

Ousmane Dembélé (France) — A first-half treble that ranks among the finest individual displays of the tournament. Four goals in two World Cup starts after also scoring against Iraq. His movement between the right flank and central areas caused constant problems for Norway's makeshift defence.

Kylian Mbappé (France) — Two assists inside 20 minutes, taking his World Cup career tally to 16 goals. The captain did not need to score himself; his service was decisive.

Mike Maignan (France) — Denied Strand Larsen from the penalty spot at 3-1, a save that prevented Norway building any second-half head of steam. Also commanded his box well on crosses.

Thelo Aasgaard (Norway) — The Rangers midfielder scored Norway's only goal and was one of few bright spots on a night when Norway's second string struggled to compete.

Player of the match: Ousmane Dembélé.

By the numbers — interpreted

The xG line (Norway 1.69 — France 1.31) flatters Norway, inflated almost entirely by Strand Larsen's missed penalty (worth ~0.76 xG on its own). From open play, France created nearly all of the higher-quality chances — 18 total shots to Norway's 10, with nine on target to the hosts' four. France's 57% possession reflected a controlled performance rather than domination; Norway had spells of the ball but rarely threatened Maignan from open play after the 21st-minute goal.

What it means

France finish top of Group I with three wins from three (10 goals scored, 2 conceded). They advance to the Round of 32 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Tuesday 30 June, facing one of the best third-placed finishers.

Norway, who had already secured qualification with wins over Iraq and Senegal before kick-off, finish second on six points. They will face Ivory Coast in Dallas on Tuesday 30 June. Head coach Ståle Solbakken made 10 changes to rest key players including Erling Haaland, Martin Ødegaard and Alexander Sørloth — all expected to return for the knockout phase.

France played without head coach Didier Deschamps, who returned to France to attend his mother's funeral. Assistant Guy Stephan took charge. Deschamps, who will step down after the tournament, is due back with the squad on Saturday.

Verdict

Dembélé delivered a Ballon d'Or-worthy performance when France needed their star quality most, stepping up in Mbappé's shadow to seal top spot. Norway's rotated side was no match for Les Bleus' firepower, but with their first-choice XI rested and fresh, their real tournament starts in Dallas.