France secured first place in Group I with a 2-1 victory over a heavily rotated Norway side at Boston Stadium, a result that sends Didier Deschamps’ team into the round of 32 against a best third-placed finisher while the Norwegians must now navigate a more treacherous path. Ousmane Dembélé struck twice inside the opening 19 minutes, first converting a Kylian Mbappé assist in the sixth minute and then doubling the lead with a clinical finish, before a swift Norwegian response in the 21st minute narrowed the margin but failed to alter the outcome.

The match was effectively decided before kick-off when Norway manager Ståle Solbakken opted to rest his entire first-choice outfield, including Erling Haaland, Martin Ødegaard, and Alexander Sørloth. Only midfielder Fredrik Aursnes retained his place from the side that beat Senegal, with goalkeeper Egil Selvik also stepping in for Ørjan Nyland. Solbakken, speaking before the game, pointed to the punishing travel demands of this expanded tournament and the need to manage player fatigue, a decision that, viewed from European capitals, was interpreted as a calculated gamble to accept second place and a theoretically more favourable last-16 opponent.

France, by contrast, fielded a near full-strength lineup despite the absence of head coach Deschamps, who had returned home for his mother’s funeral. Assistant Guy Stephan oversaw a side featuring Mbappé, Dembélé, and Aurélien Tchouaméni, and the early blitz reflected the gulf in cohesion. Mbappé rattled the crossbar in the opening minute, and Dembélé’s brace, both assisted by the captain, underlined the attacking fluency that had already yielded six goals in the group stage. Norway’s reply, a well-worked move finished by a reserve forward, briefly threatened a comeback, but the French defence, marshalled by Dayot Upamecano and Maxence Lacroix in the absence of the injured William Saliba, held firm.

The result means France finish with a perfect nine points and a superior goal difference, setting up a meeting with one of the third-placed teams from Groups C, D, F, G, or H. Norway, also on six points before the match, slip to second and will face Ivory Coast in the round of 32. Should they advance, a quarter-final clash with Brazil looms, a prospect that analysts in Latin America note is far from the easier route Solbakken’s selection appeared to court. The much-anticipated duel between Haaland and Mbappé, both on four goals in the tournament, never materialised, leaving the Norwegian striker to watch from the bench as his side’s fate was sealed.