Overview
- France secured top spot after a 4-1 win over Norway in which Ousmane Dembélé scored a hat-trick, a result that confirmed Les Bleus’ place in the round of 32 and left Norway second in the group.
- Cape Verde reached the World Cup knockout stage for the first time after a 0-0 draw with Saudi Arabia became sufficient when Spain beat Uruguay, sparking large celebrations among the diaspora in Rotterdam.
- A dramatic 3-3 finish between Austria and Algeria saw Sasa Kalajdzic score a 96th-minute equaliser that moved Austria into second place and left Iran narrowly outside the best third-placed slots.
- Spain advanced as group winner but faces fitness uncertainty after Yéremi Pino suffered an arm injury requiring tests and Nico Williams left with a groin complaint, both developments that could affect Spain’s knockout selection.
- The expanded 48-team format magnified the impact of late goals and managers’ rotation choices, producing public debate after Norway rested stars like Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard and prompting scrutiny of tactics and player management ahead of the knockouts.