France Thrashes Norway, Wins Group I and Leaves the Long-Awaited Mbappé vs. Haaland Duel Unfulfilled

France confirmed why it is one of the top favorites to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup. With an attacking masterclass led by a spectacular Ousmane Dembélé, the French side defeated Norway 4-1 in Foxborough to secure first place in Group I and advance to the Round of 32 with a perfect record.

The match carried a special appeal because of the possibility of seeing Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland, two of the biggest stars in world soccer, face each other. However, head coach Ståle Solbakken surprised everyone by leaving the Manchester City striker on the bench, while also resting Martin Ødegaard and Alexander Sørloth, taking away the duel many fans had been waiting for from the opening whistle.

Dembélé Steals the Spotlight

Far from missing the star matchup, France delivered a footballing recital. In just the sixth minute, Ousmane Dembélé opened the scoring with a powerful low shot across goal after an extraordinary switch of play from Kylian Mbappé. The French dominance continued, and Dembélé doubled the lead with a spectacular long-range strike, once again after a move started by Mbappé.

Just when the match seemed to be slipping completely away, Norway responded with a brilliant team move finished by Kristian Arnstad Aasgaard, who left Dayot Upamecano behind before scoring to make it 2-1.

But Norway’s hope did not last long. In the 31st minute, Dembélé appeared again, cutting inside with his now familiar diagonal run, to fire home a brilliant finish and complete a hat-trick that puts him on four goals in the tournament and just one behind Lionel Messi in the scoring race.

Maignan Shut the Door and France Sealed It

The second half offered Norway its best chance to get back into the match. Oscar Bobb won a penalty after being brought down by Theo Hernández, but Mike Maignan once again showed why he is one of the best goalkeepers in the world by saving Jørgen Strand Larsen’s effort.

After that moment, France regained complete control of the match. Mbappé nearly scored the fourth with a shot that went just wide, while Egil Selvik prevented an even heavier defeat with several impressive saves.

Deep into stoppage time, Bradley Barcola burst down the left wing and delivered a precise cross for Désiré Doué to head home his first goal at a FIFA World Cup, sealing the final 4-1 scoreline.

The victory allows France to finish as unbeaten winner of Group I, while Norway, despite the defeat, advances as runner-up. Still, there will be a lingering feeling that the spectacle could have been even greater had Ståle Solbakken started Erling Haaland. The long-awaited clash between two of the best players on the planet never came, but Dembélé made sure to deliver an unforgettable show.