These Norway 1-4 France stats capture a group finale that the scoreline barely flatters. France finished top of Group I with a perfect record, powered by one of the fastest hat-tricks in World Cup history from Ousmane Dembele. The underlying data tells a fascinating story too: France won 4-1 despite a lower expected-goals figure, the kind of clinical, error-punishing display that defines tournament winners. Here is the full statistical breakdown of the match in Boston, from the team numbers to Dembele's record.
Norway 1-4 France: match summary
Final score: Norway 1-4 France Half-time: Norway 1-3 France Competition: 2026 World Cup, Group I, Matchday 3 Date and venue: June 26, 2026, Boston Stadium (Gillette Stadium), Foxborough France scorers: Dembele 7', 20', 32'; Doue 90+4' Norway scorer: Aasgaard 21' Notable: France won despite a lower xG than Norway
Team stats compared
The team stats show France in control without overwhelming Norway on raw chance quality, a sign of ruthless finishing rather than total domination.
Goals: Norway 1, France 4 Possession: Norway 40%, France 51% Attempts at goal: Norway 10, France 18 Shots on target: Norway 5, France 9 Expected goals (xG): Norway 1.69, France 1.31 Assists: Norway 1, France 4
The standout number is the xG: Norway actually edged it 1.69 to 1.31, inflated by the second-half penalty that Jorgen Strand Larsen missed. France, by contrast, turned 18 attempts and nine on target into four goals, converting at a far higher rate. It is a textbook example of why expected goals tells only part of the story when one side finishes clinically and the other does not.
Dembele's hat-trick by the numbers
The match was a statistical landmark for Ousmane Dembele, whose treble arrived at remarkable speed and put him in elite company.
Goals vs Norway: 3 (7', 20', 32') Time to complete hat-trick: 25 minutes Goals at the 2026 World Cup: 4 France WC hat-trick scorers: 4th ever (after Fontaine x2, Mbappe) Minute of first goal: 7th
Dembele's hat-trick was the second-fastest first-half treble in World Cup history and the earliest completed at the tournament since Oleg Salenko in 1994. He became only the fourth France player to score a World Cup hat-trick, after Just Fontaine, twice in 1958, and Kylian Mbappe in the 2022 final. The four-goal haul also moved him level with Mbappe near the top of the tournament's scoring charts.
The standout numbers
- 9 from 9: France's points haul, a perfect Group I record with 10 goals scored.
- 25 minutes: the time Dembele needed to complete his hat-trick.
- 1.69 vs 1.31: the xG split, which Norway edged despite losing 4-1.
- 10: changes Solbakken made, resting Haaland and Odegaard.
- 18 to 10: France's edge in attempts at goal.
- 1: penalty missed by Norway, saved by Maignan.
What the stats say
The numbers describe a clinical France rather than an overpowering one. They finished top of the group with maximum points and 10 goals, but the xG split is a reminder that a heavily rotated Norway, even without Haaland and Odegaard, created enough to trouble a stronger side. France's edge was conversion: 18 attempts, nine on target and four goals, against a Norway team that spurned its big chances, including the missed penalty. For Deschamps' side it was the ideal group finale, ruthless in front of goal and built on the kind of finishing that wins knockout ties.
Frequently asked questions
What were the key stats in Norway vs France? France won 4-1 with 18 attempts and nine on target to Norway's 10 and five, and 51 percent possession. Unusually, Norway edged the expected goals 1.69 to 1.31, inflated by a missed penalty, but France were far more clinical in front of goal.
How did France win despite a lower xG? France converted their chances ruthlessly, scoring four from 18 attempts, while Norway wasted theirs, including a missed penalty saved by Mike Maignan. Expected goals favored Norway 1.69 to 1.31, but finishing quality, not chance volume, decided the match.
How fast was Dembele's hat-trick? Dembele completed his hat-trick in 25 first-half minutes, scoring on 7, 20 and 32 minutes. It was the second-fastest first-half hat-trick in World Cup history and the earliest completed at the tournament since Oleg Salenko in 1994.
What was the possession in Norway vs France? France had 51 percent possession to Norway's 40, with nine percent in contest. France also led on attempts, 18 to 10, and shots on target, nine to five, underlining their control even though Norway edged the expected-goals count.
How many goals did France score in Group I? France scored 10 goals across three group games, winning all three for nine points. They beat Senegal 3-1, Iraq 3-0 and Norway 4-1, finishing top of Group I as one of the tournament favorites heading into the Round of 32.
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