Dembélé hat-trick sends Norway out of the World Cup

Dembélé hat-trick buries Norway, World Cup over

That was not the plan. Norway 1–4 France in the Group I finale, and your World Cup is done (1). Ousmane Dembélé scored three in one half, the 12th player ever to do that at a World Cup, equalling Pelé's 1958 mark (2). Norway needed a result. They got a dismantling.

Solbakken rested Haaland, and it showed

Erling Haaland started on the bench. Ståle Solbakken called the decision to rotate his squad "a no-brainer" given the round of 16 was already secure. France punished every gap. The gamble left Norway toothless and now the flight home is booked.

France face Sweden in the last 16

France topped Group I and will meet Sweden in the round of 16 on Tuesday (3). The Dembélé show continues.

Fan reactions

The mood is split. Some fans back Solbakken's rotation logic, why risk Haaland when you are already through. Others point at the scoreline and wonder if resting your talisman against France is ever a "no-brainer." Read the full thread.