France 3–0 Norway, Dembele hat trick seals top spot

Dembele hat trick sinks Norway, France top the group

France 3–0 Norway. Ousmane Dembele scored all three, and your team could not lay a glove on them (1). Friday's group finale decided first place in Group I, and it went decisively to Les Bleus.

Ståle Solbakken has lifted this Norway side, but the gap to the very best was clear. "Ståle Solbakken has given Norway a real lift. But more is required before it approaches a feat," one Norwegian outlet wrote after the loss (4).

Ivory Coast on Tuesday, Haaland leads the charge

Norway face Ivory Coast in the World Cup Round of 32 on Tuesday, 30 June (3) (5) (7). It is a knockout match, and Erling Haaland is the player every preview leads with. The Record in Portugal put it plainly: Haaland propels Norway's chances (2).

Your team have already beaten Senegal 3–2 to reach this stage. Now they go again.

1.68 million watched the France defeat

The numbers tell you how much this Norway team means back home. An average of 1,679,000 viewers tuned in for the France match last Friday (6). That is a huge audience for a group-stage game, even with the stakes. The country is watching.

Fan reactions

The Norway squad have embraced a "Viking Row" celebration with supporters after wins, and the connection between team and fans has been one of the tournament's brighter stories. On Reddit, a Martin Ødegaard feature from the Players Tribune resurfaced this week, r/Gunners shared his reflections on growing up and his childhood link to Arsenal, a reminder of how far the Norway captain has come since those early days.