Ousmane Dembele scored a first-half hat-trick for France against Norway in the 2026 World Cup, but the numbers suggest it shouldn't have happened. France won 4-1 in Boston on Friday, with Dembele netting three left-footed goals in the opening 32 minutes. According to expected goals (xG), a metric that measures the quality of chances, his hat-trick came from a combined xG of just 0.29 – the lowest for any hat-trick in the modern World Cup era.
The win came under unusual circumstances. France head coach Didier Deschamps flew home midway through the week after his mother, Ginette, died. Assistant coach Guy Stephan took charge for the Norway match. Stephan later confirmed that Deschamps would return for the team's training session on Saturday, ahead of the Round of 32.
“Ousmane Dembele's record-breaking hat-trick and Didier Deschamps' absence explained.”
The French Football Federation (FFF) had asked FIFA to allow players to wear black armbands as a tribute to Ginette Deschamps, but the request was rejected. To add to the confusion, the FFF initially told journalists that the pre-match minute's silence was for Ginette Deschamps, but then corrected it to honour the more than 900 victims of the devastating earthquakes in Venezuela.
On the pitch, Dembele's performance was the highlight. His three goals all came from his left foot, and the low xG value means the chances were considered very unlikely to be scored. Stephan described the victory as “a gift” for Deschamps, noting that the players were deeply affected by the loss and wanted to do something special.
Norway, meanwhile, rested talisman Erling Haaland, who had already scored four goals in his first two matches and had his place in the Round of 32 secured. Coach Stale Solbakken made it clear he would not bow to public pressure to field his star player.
For UK football fans, this match combines two compelling stories: the human tragedy of a manager losing his mother during a World Cup, and a stunning statistical outlier that defies modern analytics. Dembele's hat-trick will be remembered not just for the goals, but for the context in which they were scored.
Q: How many goals did Ousmane Dembele score? A: He scored three goals in the first 32 minutes, all with his left foot, making it a perfect hat-trick in terms of footedness.
Q: Why was Didier Deschamps not on the touchline? A: Deschamps returned to France after the death of his mother, Ginette. Assistant Guy Stephan took charge for the Norway match.
Q: What is expected goals (xG) and why is Dembele's hat-trick notable? A: Expected goals (xG) measures the quality of chances. Dembele's hat-trick came from chances worth only 0.29 xG combined, the lowest for any World Cup hat-trick in the modern era, meaning the goals were highly unlikely based on chance quality.
Deschamps is expected to resume his duties for the Round of 32, and France will look to build on their commanding group-stage performance. Dembele's improbable hat-trick will be a talking point for the rest of the tournament.