France's Historic Group Stage Clean Sweep
France has achieved a perfect group stage record in a major competition for the first time since the 1998 FIFA World Cup, following a sensational 4-1 win over Norway in their final league stage match at Foxborough, Massachusetts. According to OptaJoe, this marks the first time since 1998 that France has won all three group stage matches in a major tournament. The 1998 edition saw France claim their first global crown by defeating Brazil in the final, making this clean sweep an ominous signal that France is ready to add a third star to their jersey.
Dembele and Mbappe: A Star Duo
The pairing of Ousmane Dembele and Kylian Mbappe has emerged as a formidable force. Dembele scored a historic hat-trick, while captain Mbappe provided two assists during the Norway clash. According to Opta Analyst, this duo is only the third pairing to combine for five goals in a single FIFA World Cup, joining Poland's Andrzej Szarmach and Grzegorz Lato, and Germany's Miroslav Klose and Michael Ballack.
Dembele's Record-Breaking Hat-Trick
Dembele scripted history by becoming the first player to net a first-half hat-trick at the FIFA World Cup since Oleg Salenko in 1994. His hat-trick, completed just 32 minutes into the match, is the second earliest hat-trick in World Cup history, behind Erich Probst's 24-minute hat-trick for Austria against Czechoslovakia in 1954, as per OptaJoe. Dembele is also just the third French player to score a World Cup hat-trick, joining Just Fontaine and Kylian Mbappe. Notably, Dembele's hat-trick goal was the first of the 182 scored at this World Cup to involve every one of his team's 11 players in the build-up, according to OptaJoe.
Match Highlights
France led Norway 3-1 at halftime. Dembele opened the scoring with a superb finish in the seventh minute, then doubled France's advantage with a stunning left-footed strike from outside the box in the 20th minute. Norway responded immediately through Thelo Aasgaard just a minute later, but Dembele completed his hat-trick in the 32nd minute with a powerful finish to restore France's two-goal cushion. France has now scored three or more goals in each of their last three World Cup matches, the joint longest such run in tournament history, and the longest since Spain achieved it between 1998 and 2002.
Haaland and Odegaard Rested
Fans were denied a showdown between star forwards Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland, as Norway manager Stale Solbakken opted to rest 10 regular starters, including Haaland and captain Martin Odegaard.
