Mbappe Silent, Dembele Scores Second 'Hat-Trick' of Tournament Following Messi

[Anchor]

The clash between France and Norway drew significant attention due to the showdown between two star strikers, Mbappe and Haaland. In the end, it was France that came out on top. The star of today's (June 27) match was France's Dembele, the reigning Ballon d'Or winner, who recorded a hat-trick.

Yoo Byung-min has the report.

[Reporter]

The match, which seemed to lose some of its luster as Haaland was left out of the starting lineup, heated up from the beginning as Dembele took flight.

Just seven minutes into the first half, Dembele received a pass from Mbappe, shook off the defense with exquisite dribbling, and found the back of the net with a powerful right-footed shot.

In the 20th minute, Dembele once again capitalized on an assist from Mbappe, this time completing a multi-goal performance with a piercing left-footed strike.

When Norway attempted a comeback with a goal by Ousgaard just one minute later, Dembele's feet moved brilliantly once more.

In the 32nd minute, Dembele drove into the penalty box and curled a precise left-footed shot into the bottom left corner to complete his hat-trick.

All three goals were spectacular, as he accurately threaded the needle through defenders from similar positions.

It was the second hat-trick of this tournament, following Messi, and the second-fastest hat-trick in World Cup history, completed in just 32 minutes, showcasing the prowess of the Ballon d'Or winner.

[Ousmane Dembele/France National Football Team Forward: The truly important moments start now. We must stay focused, and above all, we must not be complacent or get carried away. Anything can happen in the tournament.]

With an additional goal by Doue in second-half stoppage time, France defeated Norway 4-1, securing first place in their group with three consecutive wins.

France will face Sweden in the Round of 32, while Norway will meet Ivory Coast.

Meanwhile, a moment of silence was held before all six matches played today to honor the victims of the earthquake in Venezuela.

Reported by Yoo Byung-min | Video by Lee Jae-sung
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.