France secures top spot in World Cup group with 4-1 victory over Norway
France defeated a second-string Norway squad 4-1 on Friday, June 26, 2026, to ensure they finished at the top of World Cup Group I. The match saw Ousmane Dembélé score a first-half hat-trick, contributing significantly to France’s dominant performance. Both teams had already secured their qualification for the next round of the tournament prior to this fixture.
Dembélé’s three goals came within a 25-minute span during the first half, propelling the 2018 world champions and 2022 runners-up into the Round of 32. The French players had expressed their determination to achieve a third consecutive win as a tribute to their coach, Didier Deschamps, who had returned home from the U.S. to attend his mother’s funeral. Assistant coach Guy Stephan, a long-time associate of Deschamps, indicated that Deschamps would be pleased with the team’s performance.
By securing first place in their group, France is now likely to face Sweden in the initial knockout round. Meanwhile, Norway, as the second-placed team, is set to play against Ivory Coast. Deschamps is expected to rejoin the squad on Saturday, June 27, 2026, to prepare for the upcoming phase of the competition.
Strategic decisions and key moments
Despite both France and Norway having already qualified for the last-32 before Friday’s match, France was keen to finish first. This strategic goal was aimed at securing a more favorable travel schedule within the tournament’s North American route. Norway’s coach, Ståle Solbakken, made a significant decision to rest nearly all of his regular starters for the match against France. This included prominent players such as Erling Haaland and captain Martin Ødegaard, who had started in their previous game against Senegal earlier in the week.
Solbakken defended his decision, stating that while fans might have wanted to see Haaland and Ødegaard play, the priority was a long World Cup run. He emphasized that the team’s objective was to advance as far as possible in the tournament. This approach made France’s task of securing the top spot considerably easier.
France initiated their attack from the outset of the game. Kylian Mbappé, a contender for the World Cup Golden Boot award, struck an angled shot off the bar within the first 20 seconds. Just six minutes later, Mbappé delivered a cross-field pass to Dembélé, who maneuvered past a defender before scoring past goalkeeper Egil Selvik. Mbappé assisted Dembélé again in the 20th minute, allowing the Paris Saint-Germain forward to score with a dipping shot.
Norway managed to score a goal shortly after, with Thelo Aasgaard finding the net. However, Dembélé completed his hat-trick in the 32nd minute, curling a low shot into the bottom corner. This made him the third French player to achieve a World Cup treble, following Just Fontaine in the 1950s and Mbappé. His hat-trick was also noted as the second-earliest ever scored at a World Cup, only behind Erich Probst‘s performance for Austria in 1954 against Czechoslovakia, which occurred after 24 minutes.
Second half action and additional goals
In the early stages of the second half, Jørgen Strand Larsen had an opportunity to bring Norway back into the game, but his penalty attempt was saved by France’s goalkeeper, Mike Maignan. Winger Oscar Bobb also tested Maignan, highlighting some vulnerabilities in the French defense.
Despite Norway’s efforts, France extended their lead. Désiré Doué scored France’s fourth goal with a header from a cross delivered by substitute Bradley Barcola in the final moments of the match. The victory solidified France’s position at the top of Group I, setting them up for their next challenge in the knockout stages.
Didier Deschamps is scheduled to return to the squad on Saturday, June 27, 2026, to commence preparations for the next phase of the tournament.
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Source: thehindu.com
