Dembele scores historic World Cup hat-trick as France beats Norway 4-1
France forward Ousmane Dembele made history on Friday, scoring a hat-trick just 32 minutes into his side's World Cup 2026 group match against Norway. The Paris Saint-Germain star's three goals, plus a strike from Desire Doue, gave France a 4-1 win. Dembele's hat-trick is the second-fastest in World Cup history, only behind Erich Probst's 24-minute effort for Austria in 1954. He now has four goals from three World Cup appearances, having also scored against Iraq in a 3-0 win earlier in the tournament.
For Nigerian fans, the result highlights the quality of European sides that several African teams will face in the round of 32, where six African nations have already qualified. Knowing the level of opposition can help supporters set realistic expectations and decide which matches to watch.
France will meet Sweden in the knockout round on Tuesday, June 30. Will you back an African side to pull off an upset against a team like France, or will you be watching to see if the Super Eagles' rivals can make a deep run?