France sealed top spot in Group I with a commanding 4-1 victory over a much-changed Norway on Friday, as Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele scored one of the earliest hat-tricks in World Cup history at the Gillette Stadium near Boston.
The Paris Saint-Germain forward struck in the seventh, 20th and 32nd minutes to put France firmly in control before Desire Doue added a fourth in stoppage time. The only player to complete a World Cup hat-trick earlier in a match remains Austria's Erich Probst, who scored three goals inside the opening 24 minutes against Czechoslovakia in 1954.
Dembele's treble took his tally to four goals at the tournament after also scoring in France's 3-0 victory over Iraq on Monday. His display also relieved some of the pressure on captain Kylian Mbappe to carry the attacking burden.
The win ensured France finished the group stage with the maximum nine points after scoring 10 goals in three matches. They progress as Group I winners and will remain in the north-eastern United States to face a third-placed side in the last 32 at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey next Tuesday.
The match came on an emotional day for France, who were without head coach Didier Deschamps after he returned home to attend his mother's funeral. Deschamps, who is due to step down after the World Cup following 14 years in charge, is expected to rejoin the squad on Saturday.
Norway also advanced to the knockout stage despite the defeat, finishing second with six points after earlier victories over Iraq and Senegal had already secured qualification.
With progression already assured, head coach Stale Solbakken made 10 changes to the side that beat Senegal 3-2. Erling Haaland, captain Martin Odegaard and striker Alexander Sorloth were all rested, while Benfica midfielder Fredrik Aursnes was the only player retained from the previous starting line-up. Norway will face Ivory Coast in Dallas next Tuesday.
France were without Arsenal defender William Saliba, who was rested because of a sore back, allowing Maxence Lacroix to start in central defence. Doue, Theo Hernandez and Aurelien Tchouameni also returned, while Dembele and Mbappe both kept their places. Mbappe made his 101st international appearance as he continued his pursuit of Lionel Messi's World Cup scoring record of 18 goals, having started the match on 16.
Instead, it was Dembele who dominated the occasion. Mbappe set up the opening goal by releasing his teammate, who cut in from the right, shifted onto his stronger foot and fired across goalkeeper Egil Selvik into the far corner.
Having flourished in a more central role under Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique, Dembele repeatedly threatened from the right flank. He doubled the lead with a low, curling left-footed finish into the far corner after cutting inside.
Norway responded immediately as Rangers midfielder Thelo Aasgaard punished a lapse in concentration by the French defence, beating Mike Maignan with a low strike straight from the restart.
Dembele restored France's two-goal advantage moments later, curling another left-footed effort into the same bottom corner from inside the penalty area to complete his hat-trick within 25 first-half minutes.
Although it was not the fastest World Cup hat-trick on record — that distinction belongs to Hungary's Laszlo Kiss, who scored three times in less than eight minutes against El Salvador in 1982 — Dembele joined an exclusive group of French players to achieve the feat. Before him, only Just Fontaine, who managed it twice in 1958, and Mbappe, in the 2022 World Cup final, had scored World Cup hat-tricks for France.
Norway had an opportunity to reduce the deficit early in the second half after Oscar Bobb was brought down in the penalty area by Hernandez. However, Jorgen Strand Larsen's penalty was poorly struck and comfortably saved by Maignan.
Doue completed the scoring in stoppage time with a header, sealing an emphatic victory as France carried impressive momentum into the knockout stage.
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