Ousmane Dembélé delivered a World Cup hat trick in France's 4-1 demolition of Norway, netting three times in just 25 minutes – the tournament's second‑quickest burst. The feat joins Just Fontaine (1958) and Kylian Mbappé (2022) as the only French players ever to score three in a single World Cup match. It arrived after 61 goalless outings for the PSG winger.

Before Friday, French media fixated on Dembélé's perceived shortcomings, questioning his role despite being the reigning Ballon d'Or winner and back‑to‑back Champions League champion. Critics dismissed his contributions, yet he scored and assisted in the 3‑0 Iraq win. His celebration after the first Norway goal—a pointed hand gesture—silenced doubters, and teammates roared “MVP, MVP, MVP” as he collected the match ball.

Deschamps publicly backed Dembélé, noting the winger simply needed confidence and a defined right‑wing slot after brief experiments at centre‑midfield. The coach’s reassurance appears to have clicked, as France prepares to face Sweden in New Jersey on Tuesday. With his momentum soaring, Dembélé now poses a genuine threat to any defence that meets him. Swedish defenders must contain his pace.