France forward Ousmane Dembele etched his name into the FIFA World Cup record books on Friday after producing a sensational first-half hat-trick to inspire his side to a commanding 4-1 victory over Norway.
The Paris Saint-Germain star was the standout performer, scoring three goals in just 32 minutes, while Desire Doue added the fourth as France sealed top spot in their group in emphatic fashion.
According to Opta, Dembele’s hat-trick is the second-fastest in FIFA World Cup history, achieved just 32 minutes into the match. Only Austria’s Erich Probst reached the milestone quicker, scoring a hat-trick in 24 minutes against Czechoslovakia at the 1954 World Cup.
The remarkable performance also took Dembele’s tally to four goals in three matches at the tournament, having scored in France’s 3-0 victory over Iraq earlier this week.
The Ballon d’Or winner has emerged as one of the standout performers of the competition and will be looking to continue his impressive form when France take on Sweden in the Round of 32 on Tuesday.
With confidence soaring and Dembele firing on all cylinders, France will head into the knockout stage among the favourites to challenge for the 2026 FIFA World Cup title.
