Ousmane Dembélé scored three goals as France demolished Norway 4-1 on Friday night in a World Cup Group I match.
Both teams had already qualified for the Round of 32. Only first place in the group remained to be decided.
Norway's manager Stale Solbakken benched ten players from his usual starting eleven. Star players Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard were among those rested.
Dembélé struck in the seventh, 20th and 32nd minutes to complete his maiden international hat-trick. He now has four goals in the tournament overall.
The 2025 Ballon d'Or winner's treble marked the first first-half World Cup hat-trick since 1994. Russia's Oleg Salenko achieved that feat against Cameroon thirty years ago.
Dembélé's performance also ranks as the second-fastest hat-trick from kick-off in World Cup history. Austria's Erich Probst set the record back in 1954.
Guy Stéphan led France as assistant coach while Didier Deschamps remained home. The manager left following his mother's death.
Kylian Mbappé won the ball high up the pitch for France's opening goal. Dembélé finished it past goalkeeper Egil Selvik with precision.
He doubled the advantage moments later off a rapid counter-attack. His second was equally clinical.
Norway's Thelo Aasgaard pulled one back just 79 seconds later. The Rangers forward capitalised on a lapse in France's defence.
Dembélé wasn't finished, though. Before half-time, he cut inside and curled a magnificent left-footed finish beyond Selvik to complete his hat-trick.
The match was effectively over by then. Dembélé came off in the 65th minute.
PSG teammate Désiré Doué added a fourth in injury time. France finished the group stage with a perfect record.
