Pakyong, June 27 -- The 2026 FIFA World Cup produced a defining moment on Friday when Ousmane Dembele, the reigning men's Ballon d'Or winner, scored a first-half hat-trick in just 32 minutes as France demolished Norway 4-1 in a Group I clash played at Boston Stadium.

The result was not merely a comfortable group stage win - it was a historic feat that placed Dembele among the rarest names in World Cup records.

A RECORD FOR THE AGES Dembele's three-goal salvo is the second-fastest hat-trick ever recorded at a men's FIFA World Cup, behind only Austria's Erich Probst, who achieved the same feat in 24 minutes against Czechoslovakia back in 1954. He also became the first player to score a first-half hat-trick at a men's World Cup since Russi...