"This is a special moment for me. I played well today, but I still prefer the match against Senegal because in that game, I had more influence on the team's play", Dembele stated after the victory at Gillette Stadium, Boston on 26/6.

Ousmane Dembele (left) celebrates a goal with Kylian Mbappe during France's 4-1 victory over Norway in the final match of World Cup 2026 Group I at Foxborough Stadium, Boston, USA on 26/6/2026. Photo: AP

Dembele was referring to the only group stage match in World Cup 2026 where he did not score. In France's opening 3-1 win against Senegal, he had 40 touches, two shots with one on target, completed 9 dribbles, and made three recoveries before being substituted by Bradley Barcola in the 80th minute.

Following that, Dembele scored one goal in France's 3-0 win over Iraq before delivering a hat-trick in the 4-1 victory against Norway. Dembele is the third French player to score a hat-trick at the World Cup, after Kylian Mbappe (against Argentina in 2022) and Just Fontaine (against Paraguay and West Germany in 1958).

The PSG forward also intensified the race for the World Cup 2026 Golden Boot. He increased his tally to four goals, matching teammates Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, and Vinicius, and trailing only Lionel Messi, who has five goals.

*Dembele opened the scoring for France.

In the round of 16, France will likely face Sweden. Dembele anticipates a challenging encounter: "It will be a difficult match. In the knockout rounds, anything can happen. It is important that we maintain our focus".

The victory against Norway held special significance as the French squad wanted to dedicate it to head coach Didier Deschamps, who was absent to mourn his mother. Assistant coach Guy Stephan, who managed the team in Deschamps' absence, noted that the players were extra motivated to deliver an impressive performance.

"All of us are thinking of Didier. I will call him after the match. We are delighted that Didier will soon rejoin the team and be present at training tomorrow afternoon", Stephan said.

*France secured the 4-1 victory.

Despite satisfaction with the win, the 68-year-old assistant coach highlighted areas for improvement before France enters the knockout stage. He observed that the team occasionally lost focus after establishing an early lead, allowing Norway counter-attacking opportunities. Stephan also noted that Norway made 10 changes to their starting lineup with an eye towards the knockout rounds, so France should not be complacent despite the dominant victory.

Hong Duy (according to Globo)