Dembélé suspends time as France's favouritism heightens

France commanded time and space at the World Cup, with Ousmane Dembélé turning the first 32 minutes into a brilliant, breathless eternity by scoring the second-fastest hat-trick in tournament history during a 4-1 win over an understrength Norway.

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The break that we had from the last game to this game was the shortest of any team. So it's a no-brainer. The fans around Norway and also in the arena would have liked to see Erling. But that is not really the issue. We want to proceed as long as we can in the tournament.

While Kylian Mbappé has been the focal point for France in North America, Dembélé stole the spotlight in this match. The reigning Ballon d'Or winner and PSG winger superseded his captain, suspending time with his three goals. This performance came against a Norway side that made 10 changes, including resting star striker Erling Haaland, granting Les Bleus overwhelming favoritism in the clash to decide the group leader.

Coach Ståle Solbakken acknowledged the short break between games as the reason for the team's rotation. "The break that we had from the last game to this game was the shortest of any team. So it's a no-brainer," he said. "The fans around Norway and also in the arena would have liked to see Erling. But that is not really the issue. We want to proceed as long as we can in the tournament."

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Remember [Norway] isn't used to tournament football yet and it's two teams with different expectations. The French are expected to compete to win the World Cup.

ITV pundit Roy Keane highlighted the differing expectations for the two teams. "Remember [Norway] isn't used to tournament football yet and it's two teams with different expectations. The French are expected to compete to win the World Cup," he noted. These expectations are likely to rise after Dembélé's show, even against inferior opposition, especially considering France has not yet reached its full potential.

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It is a unique moment, but the most important was to finish [in the group].

Dembélé's goals were characterized by patience, positioning, and sublime finishing. He toyed with Norway's defenders, taking time to find the best angles before unleashing powerful shots. "It is a unique moment, but the most important was to finish [in the group]," Dembélé said. The French team's depth was evident, with stars like Mbappé and Michael Olise willing to play supporting roles. Fox Sports USA pundit Zlatan Ibrahimović defended France's confidence, stating, "Ignorant people will say it's arrogance, intelligent people will say it's confidence."

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Ignorant people will say it's arrogance, intelligent people will say it's confidence.