France forward Ousmane Dembélé etched his name into FIFA World Cup history after scoring a sensational first-half hat-trick in Les Bleus’ 3-1 victory over Norway in their final Group I match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Paris Saint-Germain star was in unstoppable form, finding the net in the 7th, 20th and 32nd minutes to hand France a commanding lead before the halftime break. His clinical display ensured France finished top of Group I and headed into the knockout rounds full of confidence.
Dembélé’s remarkable achievement saw him become the first player to score a first-half hat-trick at a FIFA World Cup since Russia’s Oleg Salenko accomplished the feat against Cameroon at the 1994 World Cup in the United States.
The French winger also recorded the second-fastest hat-trick from the start of a World Cup match, completing his treble within just 32 minutes. Only Austria’s Erich Probst, who scored a hat-trick within the opening 24 minutes against Czechoslovakia in 1954, has managed a quicker feat in World Cup history.
Norway briefly threatened a comeback when Thelo Aasgaard pulled one back, but France remained in control throughout the contest to secure a deserved victory.
Dembélé’s explosive performance has further strengthened his credentials in the race for the Golden Boot, with the 29-year-old emerging as one of the standout players of the tournament so far.
With stars such as Dembélé and Kylian Mbappé firing on all cylinders, France are once again looking every inch a serious contender for World Cup glory.
