Group I of the 2026 World Cup reached the final matchday with France and Norway already qualified for the round of 32, with the French securing the group’s top spot in the final match.
In the other match, Senegal thrashed Iraq to claim third place and keep alive their hopes of advancing as one of the best third-placed teams. The Asians were the only team eliminated from the group.
Final Group I Standings
France took advantage of Norway’s rotation and thrashed them 4-1 to secure the group’s top spot. The Scandinavians fielded an entirely backup lineup and will face Côte d’Ivoire in the round of 32. For their part, the French continue to position themselves as contenders, thanks to a hat-trick from reigning Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele.
Senegal did their duty and thrashed Iraq 5-0 to improve their goal difference and keep their hopes alive of qualifying as one of the best third-placed teams. After taking advantage of having an extra man for nearly 90 minutes, they eliminated the Asians from the tournament, and they will be a tough opponent if they secure their spot.
Most Surprising Players
A surprise has to be unexpected, which is why the first player we have to mention in this section is Iraq’s Zaid Tahseen.
He currently ranks third among all players in successful long passes per 90 minutes, averaging 6.6, trailing only Portugal’s Vitinha (8.7) and Panama’s Andrés Andrade (10).
Beyond that, we can mention a few players who, although already expected to stand out, never fail to impress because of their quality.
One of them is Michael Olise, who recorded three assists during the group stage.
Another has to be Erling Haaland, who ranks second in expected goals with 2.7, behind only Vinícius Junior’s 3.5.
In addition, Haaland also ranks second in expected goals per 90 minutes, averaging 1.34, trailing only Lionel Messi’s 1.36 and even ahead of Vinícius Júnior’s 1.21. The Norwegian’s goal-scoring ability never fails to amaze.
Most Disappointing Players
For a national team that, player for player, is packed with quality, it was inevitable that some Senegal players would be among the disappointments of the group stage. Let’s start with 34-year-old Al-Nassr star Sadio Mané.
He failed to score a single goal in Senegal’s three group-stage matches, recording only one assist in the June 22 defeat to Norway.
Another player who deserves a mention, although it feels harsh given that he was one of the few bright spots for Senegal in limited minutes against both France and Norway, is Ibrahima Mbaye.
He scored just one goal, which came in the June 16 match against France, despite playing only 15 minutes. He then played 36 minutes against Norway and 57 against Iraq, but was unable to make a significant impact.
The young Paris Saint-Germain academy product has plenty of time to improve certain aspects of his decision-making, and his future remains extremely bright. This World Cup simply was not his moment.
Best Overall Group Moments
One of the best moments of the group stage in Group I was Dembélé’s hat trick against Norway because it was the culmination of a tournament in which he improved with every match.
The PSG star neither scored nor assisted in the opening match against Senegal on June 16, but he followed that up with one goal and one assist against Iraq, finally showing the level he displayed over the past two seasons with the French champions.
He then capped off the group stage with a brilliant hat trick against what, on paper, appeared to be Didier Deschamps’ toughest opponent.
We also have to mention the incredible moment shared by Norway and its supporters after the 3-2 victory over Senegal.
Following the win, the players celebrated alongside the fans with a remarkable Viking-style celebration, pretending to row together as if they were an army sailing in longboats.
Best Match of the Group Stage
Perhaps the best match of the group stage, mainly because of how evenly matched the two teams were, was Norway’s 3-2 victory over Senegal.
Overall, Senegal disappointed by finishing third in the group, but it produced a strong performance in this match. The African side even outshot Norway, enjoyed more possession, and completed more passes, while both teams finished with six shots on target.
Marcus Hølmgren Pedersen opened the scoring in the 43rd minute before Erling Haaland doubled Norway’s lead in the 48th.
Ismaïla Sarr pulled one back in the 53rd minute, but Haaland restored the Vikings’ two-goal advantage five minutes later.
Then, in the third minute of second-half stoppage time, Sarr scored again to complete his brace, but it was not enough to prevent Norway from claiming a 3-2 victory.
Worst Match of the Group Stage
Probably the most disappointing match was Norway’s 4-1 defeat to France.
France delivered a true masterclass, led by Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé, who scored a hat trick.
However, the match felt as though France had already won it before kickoff because Norway head coach Ståle Solbakken decided to field an alternative starting lineup without his biggest stars.
Didier Deschamps (via his assistant Guy Stéphan) did not rotate his squad, starting virtually his strongest lineup ahead of the remainder of the World Cup. Norway took a very different approach, leaving players such as Erling Haaland, Martin Ødegaard, and Alexander Sørloth on the bench without playing a single minute.
The match itself was entertaining, but there was never any real sense that Norway could win it, and fans were left without the excitement that one of the most anticipated group-stage matches on paper had promised.
