World Cup highlights: Dembele scores hat-trick against Norway as Uruguay exit

Flashscore brings you the best moments of the tournament in its daily World Cup highlights. Here’s what happened on day 16.

Check out what happened on day 15 at the World Cup here.

Key Moments

The day began with the conclusion of Group I, and there was no shortage of excitement. France clearly didn’t suffer from the absence of Didier Deschamps against Norway. A hat-trick from Ousmane Dembele and a goal from Desire Doue saw the Bleus once again display impressive efficiency. Statistically, Norway created more offensively, but also missed a crucial penalty in the 50th minute through Jorgen Strand Larsen.

In the meantime, the Norwegians had pulled one back in the first half, but overall, they were outclassed technically and tactically by their opponents. In the end, the Bleus finished top ahead of Norway, Senegal, and Iraq. The Lions of Teranga easily defeated the Iraqis and qualified as one of the best third-placed teams.

Next up was Group H, but this time, entertainment was sorely lacking. Only Spain managed to score, with Alex Baena securing top spot for his team. In the other match, Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia played out a goalless draw, which allowed the Blue Sharks to qualify in second place!

It’s a historic achievement, especially as they will now face Argentina and Lionel Messi in the next round. By finishing third, Uruguay didn’t collect enough points to advance. The journey ends for Marcelo Bielsa’s team, who never really got going in the tournament. “It was a campaign that left nothing behind,” he said after the defeat...

Finally, Group G almost witnessed a dramatic turnaround. Trailing from the opening minutes, Iran thought they had secured a spot in the round of 16 in stoppage time. But VAR ruled out the goal for offside. In the end, Egypt and Iran shared the points (1-1), which allowed the Pharaohs to finish second and set up a clash with Australia in the next round.

It could have been even better if Belgium hadn’t beaten New Zealand, but Rudi Garcia’s men did their job by claiming their first win (5-1). The Red Devils must now wait to find out their next opponent.

Goal of the Day

It’s hard to pick among Senegal’s goals and Pape Gueye’s top-corner strikes… So we’ll go with the third goal scored by Ousmane Dembele.  

All three of his goals perfectly showcase what he’s capable of, but the one that completed his hat-trick might just be the best. For over a year, he’s been displaying his technique, speed, and dribbling skills with Paris Saint-Germain. But he had never managed to prove it with the French national team. He always loves to take on defenders, and on this play, the No. 7 was clearly having fun. 

Indeed, the Norwegians weren’t at their best, but his feints are always unpredictable and often create shooting opportunities. Dembélé had never scored a brace for the Bleus before; on Friday night, he delivered his best performance for the national team at a crucial moment. 

He now joins a very exclusive group of French internationals who have scored a hat-trick at the World Cup: Just Fontaine in 1958 and Kylian Mbappe in 2022. And beyond the stats and the beauty of that third goal in just 25 minutes, Dembélé has shown he’s found his place with the French national team. Can’t wait to see what’s next.

Player of the Day

How could anyone not name Ousmane Dembélé after such a performance? It’s been twenty years since France last won their third group match at a major tournament, and their No. 7 put that right.

Already decisive with an assist and a goal against Iraq on Monday, the 29-year-old right winger is truly entering the best period of his career. Being one of the world’s best at club level is one thing, but shining on the global stage at the World Cup is another. Without ranking them, it’s clear that Dembélé has managed to replicate what he does under Luis Enrique at PSG. 

And many Bleus fans have been waiting for this moment for a long time. Two players from the same team scoring four or more goals hadn’t happened since Poland in 1974!

This gives a lot of hope for the rest of the tournament, especially for Dembélé, who might just be on his way to a second Ballon d’Or.  

But the main thing is, of course, about the whole squad led by Guy Stéphan on Friday night. On Tuesday, Didier Deschamps’s group will face a new challenge: Sweden. We can’t wait to see what Dembélé can do. His future with the French national team could be about to change again…

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