Overview
- France beat Norway 4-1 on Friday as Ousmane Dembélé scored a hat-trick and Didier Deschamps’s side finished top of their group and will face a third-placed team from Groups C or D in the round of 32.
- Norway coach Ståle Solbakken rested stars including Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard and defended his wide rotation after the loss, a decision that drew public criticism from figures such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
- Cape Verde reached the knockout stage for the first time in their history and will face Argentina in Miami, prompting large celebrations among the nation’s diaspora in Rotterdam.
- Spain progressed but finished the game with injuries to Nico Williams and Yéremi Pino; Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said both players will undergo tests to assess their availability for the next round.
- A dramatic 3-3 finish between Algeria and Austria changed the ranking of third-placed teams so that Iran finished ninth and missed advancing, renewing debate about how the 48-team format and the rule that eight of twelve third-placed teams advance affects fairness and match incentives.