The Japan Times - Hat-trick hero Dembele displays Ballon d'Or brilliance for France at World Cup

The 29-year-old Paris Saint-Germain forward showcased the lethal finishing which saw him win last year's Ballon d'Or as he netted three times in the space of 26 first-half minutes at the Gillette Stadium near Boston.

His goals, as well as a late Desire Doue header, allowed France to complete the first round with three wins out of three after earlier victories against Senegal and Iraq.

They progress to the last 32 as Group I winners, and there is clear evidence that France can be contenders to win the World Cup even if Kylian Mbappe is not scoring the goals.

"This is a unique and important moment for me. But I preferred how I played against Senegal or against Iraq," Dembele claimed.

"I think I was much more influential in those games, so I think we need to stay fully concentrated because we have important things ahead of us."

Dembele's focus was striking, almost as impressive as his finishing against Norway, as he scored only the fourth hat-trick by a France player at a World Cup.

Just Fontaine scored two during his incredible 1958 tournament, including four goals in the third-place play-off against West Germany.

Kylian Mbappe then netted an astonishing hat-trick in the 2022 final, which France lost on penalties to Lionel Messi's Argentina in Qatar.

It is easily forgotten now in the madness of that game, but Dembele was actually substituted before half-time with France trailing 2-0 and appearing listless.

He had played a key role on their run to the final, having also made four appearances as a 21-year-old during France's triumphant campaign in Russia in 2018.

- Transformation -

But he had never scored a World Cup goal before breaking his duck on his 13th tournament appearance, in last Monday's 3-0 win over Iraq on a stormy evening in Philadelphia.

Against Norway he displayed his ability to score with both feet, his first goal coming with his right, and his next two with his left.

Dembele's transformation from thrilling but injury-prone and sometimes wasteful winger -- as he so often was at Barcelona -- into Ballon d'Or winner, came after Luis Enrique moved him into a central attacking role early last season at PSG.

He went on to score 35 goals in all competitions as the Parisians won the UEFA Champions League for the first time in their history.

The season that just finished saw the old injury worries reappear, and there was a falling out between PSG and the France team when he suffered a hamstring problem on international duty in September.

But PSG managed his fitness brilliantly.

He started only 11 Ligue 1 games, but was still named player of the year in the French top flight. And he scored seven goals in the last seven matches in the Champions League knockout stages as PSG retained their European title.

Now he is showing that France need not only rely on Mbappe, who netted a brace in each of France's first two games but did not score against the Norwegians.

"He had a great game. It's good for us. It's great to have a player like that who can make the difference," defender Maxence Lacroix said of Dembele.

His interchanging of positions with Michael Olise between the right wing and the number 10 role is proving a real headache for opponents, and France's attacking arsenal is frightening.

"Their front four is the best in the competition by far," said Norway coach Stale Solbakken.

Apart from Mbappe's strikes, France's other goals at this World Cup have all come from PSG players: Dembele, Doue and Bradley Barcola.

"That can only be positive," said assistant coach Guy Stephan, as France prepare to face a third-placed team in New Jersey in the last 32 next Tuesday.

"These are players who have not stopped winning things in the last two years. They can take players on, score goals, set up goals. It is a big plus for us."

H.Takahashi--JT