FIFA Ousmane Dembele’s hat-trick leads France to a 4-1 win over Norway, while Spain beat Uruguay 1-0 to top Group H and eliminate Bielsa’s side.
Dembele’s Hat-Trick Fires France to Group I Summit
Ousmane Dembele produced a stunning first-half hat-trick as France defeated a heavily rotated Norway side 4-1 to finish top of Group I at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
With Norway resting several key players, including star striker Erling Haaland, the much-anticipated battle between Haaland and France captain Kylian Mbappe never materialised. Instead, Dembele stole the spotlight by scoring three brilliant goals within the opening 32 minutes, registering the second-fastest hat-trick in men’s FIFA World Cup history and the first first-half World Cup treble since 1994.
France opened the scoring in the seventh minute when Mbappe set up Dembele, who powered his shot past goalkeeper Egil Selvik. The winger doubled the lead in the 20th minute with a superb curling effort after a rapid counter-attack.
Norway briefly responded through Thelo Aasgaard, who pulled one back just over a minute later. However, Dembele completed his memorable hat-trick soon afterwards with another trademark left-footed finish, leaving the Norwegian defence helpless.
Assistant coach Guy Stephan praised Dembele’s resilience, saying the forward had used criticism from the French media as motivation following his return from injury.
Dembele was substituted after 65 minutes, but France sealed an emphatic victory in stoppage time when Desire Doue headed home the fourth goal to complete a dominant performance and secure top spot in the group.
Spain Beat Uruguay 1-0 to Top Group H as Bielsa’s Side Crash Out of World Cup
Spain 1-0 Uruguay
Uruguay’s FIFA World Cup campaign came to a disappointing end after a costly mistake by veteran goalkeeper Fernando Muslera handed Spain a narrow 1-0 victory in their final Group H encounter. The defeat saw Marcelo Bielsa’s men eliminated from the tournament, marking their second consecutive group-stage exit.
Spain, already on the verge of qualification before kick-off, secured top spot in Group H courtesy of Alex Baena’s 42nd-minute strike. The midfielder swivelled inside the penalty area and fired a low shot that slipped through Muslera’s grasp despite the experienced goalkeeper getting both hands to the ball.
The goal came against the run of play after Uruguay had enjoyed a promising spell. However, the South Americans were left frustrated as Spain continued their attack despite Manuel Ugarte going down injured in the build-up. The midfielder later required treatment and was stretchered off the field.
Muslera’s latest error, his third leading directly to a goal in as many matches, prompted Bielsa to make the extraordinary decision of substituting the 40-year-old goalkeeper at half-time. Sergio Rochet replaced the Uruguayan legend, who was making his 137th international appearance.
Despite the change, Spain dominated much of the second half, controlling possession and limiting Uruguay’s attacking opportunities. Although they failed to extend their lead, they remained comfortable throughout.
Uruguay, needing at least a positive result to stay in the competition, struggled to create clear-cut chances. Former Liverpool striker Darwin Núñez, recalled to the starting line-up, squandered two excellent opportunities in quick succession during the first half. Their late rally failed to seriously trouble Spanish goalkeeper Unai Simón.
Spain nearly doubled their advantage in the closing stages when substitute Ferran Torres struck the crossbar, but a single goal proved sufficient to secure victory.
Uruguay’s disappointing evening was compounded in stoppage time when midfielder Agustín Canobbio received a straight red card for a high challenge on Pau Cubarsí.
The victory in FIFA gives Spain their second win of the tournament and sees the European champions finish as Group H winners. They will now face the runners-up of Group J in the Round of 32. It also marks the first time Spain have won two matches at a World Cup since their triumphant campaign in 2010.
For Uruguay, the tournament ends in frustration, with just two points from three group-stage matches and renewed questions over a campaign undermined by costly defensive errors.
