France Dismantles Norway with Mbappé and Dembélé's Brilliance
France did not just qualify. They announced themselves.
With Kylian Mbappé pulling the strings, Ousmane Dembélé ruthless in front of goal, and Aurélien Tchouameni dictating the tempo, France swept aside Norway 4-1 to lock up top spot in Group I and cruise into the Round of 32 with a perfect record.
The tone was set almost immediately. Seven minutes in, Mbappé drifted into space, saw the gap and split Norway open with a razor-sharp through ball. Dembélé did the rest, surging onto the pass and thundering a finish beyond the goalkeeper. One chance, one goal, and France were already in control.
Norway barely had time to reset before they were cut apart again. On 20 minutes, Mbappé once more found Dembélé, this time with a more measured ball, and the winger answered with a precise strike to double the lead. Same combination, same outcome. France were playing at their own pace, their own rhythm.
Then, a jolt. Barely a minute later, Aasgaard pounced to pull one back for Norway, a reminder that this wasn’t a training exercise. For a brief spell, the game flickered into life for the underdogs, who sensed a route back.
It didn’t last long.
On 32 minutes, the French midfield stepped forward to close the door. Tchouameni, already controlling the middle of the pitch, picked his moment and slid a perfectly weighted pass into Dembélé’s path. The finish was clinical again. 3-1, Dembélé’s hat-trick complete, and France’s authority restored.
From there, the contest felt decided. France managed the game, shifting through gears when they needed to, conserving energy when they didn’t. Mbappé remained a constant menace between the lines, Tchouameni kept the ball moving, and Norway were left chasing shadows.
There was another milestone tucked inside the routine dominance. In the 75th minute, Ibrahima Konaté stepped onto the pitch, marking his first appearance at this World Cup. A brief outing, but a significant one for a defender expected to play a bigger role as the tournament deepens.
The final act came in stoppage time. With Norway stretched and spent, Doué arrived to apply the finishing touch, making it 4-1 and sealing a scoreline that reflected France’s control as much as their cutting edge.
Nine points from nine. Top of Group I. A forward in Mbappé who can both score and create at will, a winger in Dembélé brimming with confidence, and a midfield anchored by Tchouameni that looks built for knockout football.
Next up: one of the best third-placed teams in the Round of 32. On this evidence, it is not just about who France will face, but who can possibly stop them.
