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Ousmane Dembele delivered a breathtaking performance, scoring a stunning 32-minute hat-trick to help France overpower Norway 4-1 on Friday and secure top position in World Cup Group I. The PSG winger’s brilliance, combined with Kylian Mbappe’s creativity, ensured the defending champions dominated from start to finish.

Norway head coach Stale Solbakken opted for heavy rotation despite a chance to top the group, leaving key players like Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard on the bench. That decision proved costly as his side struggled to cope with France’s intensity and ruthless finishing.

Right from the opening whistle, Norway’s defence was under pressure. Kylian Mbappe’s fierce early effort was tipped onto the crossbar by the goalkeeper, a warning sign of the onslaught to come. Within six minutes, France took the lead as Mbappe’s precise pass found Dembele, who twisted past his marker and rifled the ball into the far corner.

Michael Olise saw one goal-bound shot blocked, while Jorgen Strand Larsen missed a close-range chance at the other end in a frantic start. Mbappe soon turned provider again, setting up Dembele for his second goal — a curling finish from the edge of the area. Norway responded swiftly through Thelo Aasgard, who beat Mike Maignan with a composed low strike after a clever feint.

However, any hopes of a Norwegian comeback were short-lived. Dembele completed his hat-trick before half-time, taking advantage of poor marking to pick his spot and guide another left-footed strike into the bottom corner, sealing a sensational first-half display.

Early in the second half, Theo Hernandez conceded a penalty, but France escaped unscathed as Maignan saved Strand Larsen’s tame spot-kick. The remainder of the game was more subdued, though Mbappe came close with a curling effort and Oscar Bobb forced another good stop from the French keeper. In stoppage time, Desire Doue capped the win with a fine header to make it 4-1.

Here are France’s player ratings from Boston:

Goalkeeper & Defence

Mike Maignan (7/10):

Wrong-footed for Norway’s goal but redeemed himself with a strong penalty save, even though the attempt was weak. Also denied Bobb with another solid stop.

Jules Kounde (6/10):

Didn’t venture forward often as Andreas Schjelderup proved tricky to handle, but defensively he was sound and didn’t need to take risks.

Dayot Upamecano (7/10):

Beaten easily by Aasgard’s body feint but was otherwise solid, making several key defensive interventions and helping push the team upfield.

Maxence Lacroix (5/10):

Looked shaky on his competitive debut for Les Bleus, struggling in duels and failing to impose himself defensively.

Theo Hernandez (4/10):

Conceded a careless penalty with an unnecessary challenge. Fortunately for him, Maignan’s save spared his blushes.

Midfield

Aurelien Tchouameni (7/10):

Everywhere in midfield, linking defence and attack seamlessly. His sharp assist set up Dembele’s third goal to complete the hat-trick.

Manu Kone (6/10):

Kept his passing simple but wasn’t dominant in physical battles, showing a steady yet unspectacular display.

Michael Olise (6/10):

Below his usual high standards for Bayern Munich, struggled to influence play from a central role and missed a good chance to score.

Attack

Ousmane Dembele (10/10):

Unplayable in attack, combining dazzling footwork with clinical finishing to score a first-half hat-trick. Norway’s defence simply couldn’t contain him.

Kylian Mbappe (8/10):

Played the role of creator rather than scorer, setting up two of Dembele’s goals with precision. Still looked dangerous every time he had the ball.

Desire Doue (7/10):

Less involved than his attacking partners but remained lively. Made amends in stoppage time with a well-taken header.

Subs & Manager

Rayan Cherki (5/10):

Couldn’t make much impact as the game wound down.

Bradley Barcola (7/10):

Injected pace down the flank, drew a save at the near post, and provided the cross for Doue’s late header.

Ibrahima Konate (6/10):

Did his job efficiently after being introduced for the final 15 minutes.

Malo Gusto (N/A):

Came on in the closing moments for some brief action.

Jean-Philippe Mateta (N/A):

Brought on late to replace Mbappe with little time to influence proceedings.

Guy Stephan (7/10):

Took charge in Didier Deschamps’ absence due to a family bereavement and oversaw an excellent attacking performance. Mission accomplished.