France coach Didier Deschamps knows all about succeeding with little. At this World Cup though, the captain of their triumphant 1998 team, who has as coach led them to a title and a runners-up finish in the last two editions, is showing that plenty doesn’t mean a problem.
In 1998, France went all the way, with critics and experts wondering how the hosts would deliver without a designated No. 9. They did fine, inspired by Zinedine Zidane’s class and goals. Going into the World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada, the big question for a side brimming with talent was how Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele could be slotted in effectively in a line-up whose primary task is to assist talisman Kylian Mbappe.
On Friday in the USA, Dembele provided evidence of a solution with the fastest first-half hat-trick in World Cup history. His goals in the seventh, 20th and 32nd minutes, each time coming in from his favourite right-wing position, demonstrated that Deschamps is likely to keep those attacking instincts intact.
France beat Norway – both had already qualified – 4-1 in Boston early on Saturday (IST) to round off their engagements in Group I with three wins and the maximum nine points. Norway rested Erling Haaland, captain Martin Odegaard and towering forward Alexander Sorloth. However, France will be buzzing going into the knockouts – they will play Sweden in the Round of 32 – after scoring 10 goals so far.
Mbappe has accounted for four of those goals, while Dembele’s fluent display will boost France as they eye the big prize after losing to Argentina in the final four years ago in Qatar.
The 29-year-old Dembele, though, had been a bit of an enigma in a France shirt despite emerging as a vital cog in Luis Enrique’s Paris Saint-Germain, who won the UEFA Champions League in back-to-back seasons while retaining the Ligue 1 title. Enrique has found the best version of Dembele by getting him to play more centrally up front.
And Dembele has delivered for PSG. Last season, he scored 35 goals in all club competitions. That followed a sensational 2024-25 season, when he scored 35 goals and had 16 assists, helping PSG win a treble – Ligue 1, the Champions League and the Coupe de France. It won him the coveted Ballon d’Or.
France, chasing a third World Cup title, can now aim to intimidate opponents with their awesome attacking arsenal. While Desire Doue, who scored the other goal against Norway, and Michael Olise joined Mbappe and Dembele in running circles around the Norway defence, young PSG forward Bradley Barcola, who also plays on the right wing, can be called upon.
“It is a unique moment,” Dembélé said. “But the most important thing was to finish first in the group in the group stage, and we are focused on the round of 32, which is the most important.”
World Cups can be a fast-forward affair for coaches who fail to sort out issues. Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti needed the first half of a surprisingly tame opening draw against Morocco to ring in the changes effectively. With Denmark making several changes, it made France’s job easier.
Deschamps played Dembele more centrally in the first half of France’s opening Group I tie against Senegal, but it did not produce any attacking spark and the game remained goalless at the break. However, a tweak at half-time, moving Michael Olise into the No. 10 position, did the trick. It was his superb through ball that Mbappe instinctively ran on to and drove home to give France the lead in the 66th minute. It ended 3-1 for France, with Mbappe adding a second in added time.
The game had barely warmed up when Dembele struck. Mbappe was the provider as Dembele cut into the penalty box and powered a low right-footer into the far corner. The France spearhead again fed Dembele to his right, who shook off a shirt pull by Leo Ostigard on a fast counter. As the defender hesitated, Dembele calmly curled in, this time with his favoured left foot, into the far corner from just outside the penalty box.
The hat-trick was sealed 12 minutes later. This time, Dembele moved into the box from the right and shifted direction three times as the defence hesitated before he shot for goal unchallenged. Norway had briefly made it 2-1 after Thelo Aasgaard scored in the 21st minute, also benefiting from a defence that did not press, perhaps lacking urgency with qualification already assured.
Norway will face Ivory Coast in the Round of 32 on June 30. Senegal won 5-0 against Iraq, who finished with 10 men, to qualify as the third team from Group I.
Cape Verde qualify
Cape Verde became the smallest nation to enter the World Cup knockouts after holding Saudi Arabia to a goalless draw in their final Group H game. The debutants went through with three points after three draws, including holding Spain goalless in their opening fixture.
The reward for Cape Verde’s qualification will be a Round of 32 meeting with defending champions Argentina and Lionel Messi. Spain won their last game 1-0 to top Group H, the defeat eliminating winless former champions Uruguay, who managed only two points.
Belgium top group, Iran wait
Leandro Trossard scored twice and Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku also got on the scoresheet as Belgium, after a subdued start to their campaign, brushed aside New Zealand 5-1 in Vancouver to qualify by topping Group G.
The drama, though, was in Seattle, where Egypt (five points) went through as the second-placed team in the group after a hard-fought 1-1 draw with Iran, who came agonisingly close to finding a late winner. Iran, with three points, must wait to know if they qualify as one of the eight third-placed sides.
