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Ousmane Dembele scored a hat-trick in 25 minutes as France beat Norway 4-1 in their final Group I match at the World Cup. The Ballon d'Or winner's treble, the second-earliest in World Cup history, ensured France finished top of the group with a perfect nine points Source: cnaSource: aljazeera.
Dembele opened the scoring in the seventh minute, struck again on 20 minutes, and after Thelo Aasgaard pulled one back for Norway, completed his hat-trick in the 32nd minute Source: aljazeera. Desire Doue added a late fourth goal. Norway, already qualified, rested key players including Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard, making 10 changes Source: aljazeera. France also played without coach Didier Deschamps, who returned to France for his mother's funeral Source: aljazeera.
Dembele's performance silenced critics who questioned his consistency for France. He now has four goals in the tournament, matching Kylian Mbappe and trailing only Lionel Messi Source: cna. The hat-trick was only the third by a French player in World Cup history, after Just Fontaine and Mbappe Source: cna.
France will face a third-place finisher in the last 32 at MetLife Stadium next Tuesday. Norway takes on Ivory Coast in Dallas Source: aljazeera.
“Dembele tore up the script, delivering a mesmerising first-half performance crowned with his first World Cup hat-trick, only the third French player to achieve the feat in the tournament's 96-year history.”
“Dembele scored one of the earliest hat-tricks in World Cup history as the Ballon d'Or winner starred in France's 4-1 win over a second-string Norway, while Erling Haaland watched on from the bench.”
“It was an emotionally charged day for Les Bleus, who had to play this match without coach Didier Deschamps after he returned to France to attend his mother's funeral.”
“His three goals in the first 32 minutes of the game was also the second-earliest hat-trick in a World Cup behind Austria's Erich Probst in 1954 (24 minutes).”
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