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Where does Ousmane Dembele’s hat-trick against Norway stand among the fastest in FIFA World Cup history?

Ousmane Dembele’s first-half treble against Norway marked the 57th hat-trick ever recorded in World Cup history.

The French forward, who currently holds the Ballon d’Or title, had ended a 19-match international goal drought by scoring against Iraq in his previous outing. That goal appeared to unlock his scoring form, as he netted three times within just 25 minutes against Norway.

But where exactly does his remarkable hat-trick sit among the quickest ever in World Cup history, based on the time between the first and last goals?

Dembele’s trio of goals came within 32 minutes of kickoff, making it the second earliest hat-trick in World Cup history. With only 25 minutes separating his first and final goal, he also joins the top 10 fastest hat-tricks ever recorded.

He is level with England legend Gary Lineker, who also managed three goals in 25 minutes, all in the first half, with his final strike coming in the 34th minute.

The late and legendary Pele narrowly surpasses Dembele with his 23-minute hat-trick, achieved during the 1958 semi-final against France. Pele still holds the record as the youngest player ever to score a World Cup hat-trick.

Here’s a look at some of the fastest hat-tricks ever recorded in World Cup history, measured from the first to the last goal.

Dembele’s addition to this elite list was nearly historic. His flurry of goals sealed France’s victory over Norway and ensured that Les Bleus topped Group I at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Before becoming a household name in broadcasting, Gary Lineker was a prolific striker. His 25-minute hat-trick against Poland was notable not only for its pace but also for the proximity of his goals — each coming from within the six-yard box, with a combined total distance of no more than 18 yards.

Pele, a once-in-a-generation talent, was only 17 when he struck his hat-trick during the 1958 semi-final against France. He remains the youngest player in World Cup history to achieve such a feat. Brazil went on to lift the trophy that year, with Pele scoring twice in the final against Sweden.

Back in the second-ever World Cup, Germany’s Edmund Conen joined the record books. His 21-minute hat-trick sealed a 5-2 win over Belgium, with Conen scoring the third, fourth, and fifth goals in quick succession.

Before the 1974 World Cup, Polish striker Andrzej Szarmach was relatively unknown. But his 20-minute hat-trick propelled him into the spotlight. Poland finished that tournament as the top-scoring team with 16 goals, claiming third place after defeating Brazil.

No list of great finishers would be complete without Gerd Muller. The West German legend netted three goals against Peru in just 20 second-half minutes. Remarkably, Muller scored two hat-tricks in that same tournament within three days — one of only three players ever to achieve this, alongside Sándor Kocsis (1934) and Just Fontaine (1958).

Austria’s Erich Probst holds the record for the earliest hat-trick in World Cup history, edging Dembele by just eight minutes. His final goal came in the 24th minute, with only 20 minutes separating his first and last strikes — an incredible pace by any standard.

In the 1938 tournament, Sweden’s Gustav Wetterström scored a 12-minute hat-trick against Cuba. Interestingly, his teammate Harry Andersson also netted three times in that same match, though his goals were spread across an 80-minute span.

Argentina’s Gabriel Batistuta is one of only four players — alongside Sándor Kocsis, Just Fontaine, and Gerd Muller — to have scored more than one World Cup hat-trick. His faster of the two came in 1998, when he scored three goals in just 10 minutes against Jamaica during the group stage.

Finally, topping the all-time list is Hungary’s Laszlo Kiss. In the 1982 World Cup group stage in Spain, Kiss scored three goals in just seven minutes against El Salvador. His achievement remains the fastest World Cup hat-trick ever — and the only one scored by a substitute.