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FOXBOROUGH — The dream matchup didn’t happen.
From the moment the World Cup draw came out, Friday was the signature game scheduled for Foxborough. Norway vs. France. Mbappe vs. Haaland. The world’s best striker bragging rights and maybe the Golden Boot, would be hanging in the balance.
The game was on every pre-tournament list of top matches in the group stage. According to Sports Business Journal, the get-in price to go to the game was over $1,500.
And when both France and Norway won their first two games convincingly, the anticipation continued, swelling right up until the lineups were posted. Then...
POP!
Norway’s starting XI didn’t include Erling Haaland, Norway’s 6-foot-5, goal-scoring machine, who had two goals in each of the first two games.
In fact they changed out 10 different starters from their win over Senegal. It was a little surprising because there was still something to play for. The winner of the game would win Group I, which set up a somewhat easier path in the knockout round than finishing second would.
Norway wasn’t trying to lose, but winning wasn’t exactly a priority compared to rest and injury avoidance. France prevailed 4-1.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
MassLive Sports Columnist Matt Vautour traded a Patriots hat for a Viking hat with an unnamed Norwegian fan at Gillette Stadium on Friday, June 26, 2026 during a World Cup match between Norway and France in Foxborough, Mass.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Norway's Erling Haaland enters the pitch for warm-ups during a World Cup match where Norway played France at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
France's Rayan Cherki (left) as pictured with Norway's Erling Haaland (right) are teammates on Manchester City F.C. As pictured on Friday, June 26, 2026 before a World Cup match between France and Norway at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Norwegian fans seated behind their goal at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. for a World Cup match against France on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
MassLive's Sports Columnist Matt Vautour seen holding a Mexican luchador mask and a Viking Hat that he acquired by trading a new Patriots hat. As pictured on Friday, June 26, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
French fans were pictured in front of the announcement of the French National Soccer team starting line up which included Ousmane Dembélé during a World Cup match against Norway on Friday, June 26, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Erling Haaland as seen during a World Cup match against France on Friday, June 26, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Norway battled against France during a World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Friday, June 26, 2026.
So any Norway fan that ponied up the $1,500 or 14,909.72 krone was disappointed.
Kylian Mbappe fans were probably a little disappointed too. But only a little. He had two goals in France’s first game against Senegal and two more against Iraq. He had two assists vs. Norway, but he had just two shots in a quiet-by-his-standards game before subbing out late.
Still, anyone who came to Gillette Stadium just wanting to watch greatness found some. Just not the greatness they expected.
If they came to see something historic, that wish was fulfilled thanks to Ousmane Dembélé.
It’s hard to be a Ballon d’Or winner and be overshadowed. Dembélé is one of the top 10 players in this World Cup, but he’s the No. 2 player on his own team.
But he wasn’t second to anyone on Friday.
The fans didn’t get to see Haaland and Mbappe duel, but they saw real history. Dembélé scored three times in the game’s first 32 minutes. That’s the fastest World Cup hat trick in the past 50 years and the first completed in the first half since Oleg Salenko had three for Russia against Cameroon in 1994.
Three goals is three goals no matter how they get scored, but these weren’t cheapies. Dembélé was an artist.
The 29-year-old midfielder was the antidote to the snoozer that was England vs. Ghana on the same pitch on Tuesday. He was certainly a better-than-could-be-hoped-for consolation prize for not seeing Haaland on Friday.
Dembélé’s first goal, seven minutes into the game, was a class in how to create shooting space where none existed. There were three defenders between him and the goal when he crossed into the box at the right corner. But a cut and a fake and another cut caused two of them to overrun him just enough. Dembélé rocketed the ball past goalie Egil Selvik in the seventh minute.
His second strike was just a display of shooting prowess. He cut back to the middle and curled a shot from outside the box by Selvik, whose diving attempt was too late to stop it.
Norwegian midfielder Fredrik Aursnes didn’t bite on Dembélé’s initial nifty fake on his third goal, but the second one got him allowing Dembélé to rip another shot home.
He was counting to three on his fingers in celebration as he jogged to the corner to celebrate.
But Dembélé might not be the only thing the fans will take away from this game. The fans at Gillette Stadium might also be able to say they saw the World Cup winner.
France has a lot of work still to do, but their performance on Friday did nothing to lower expectations that they’re capable of being the best team in the world.
More World Cup 2026 Coverage
- Team of the Group Stage: Best XI players from the World Cup at Gillette Stadium
- My quest to end a 28-year chase for a strange World Cup souvenir
- Lionel Messi won’t start Argentina’s World Cup group finale match vs. Jordan
- World Cup: Why did Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard not play for Norway against France?
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