France Cruise to 4-0 Win Over Norway in Confident World Cup Warm-Up
In their first World Cup warm-up match on Tuesday, France delivered an assured performance with a commanding 4-0 victory against Norway at the Stade de France. The win offered coach Didier Deschamps plenty of reasons for optimism ahead of the tournament.
The game’s standout contributor was Mathieu Valbuena, who orchestrated much of the French attack with three assists. His clever playmaking set the tone early, finding Paul Pogba who opened the scoring with a powerful header in the first half. The French goalkeeper Stéphane Ruffier made a couple of crucial saves to keep a clean sheet going into the break.
After the interval, France maintained control. Olivier Giroud doubled the lead with a stylish volley before substitute Loïc Rémy made it 3-0 shortly after coming on. Giroud then completed his brace with a second goal, once again assisted by Valbuena, who was later applauded off by the home crowd.
Though Norway offered little threat, the match showcased France’s growing cohesion and attacking fluidity, providing a timely confidence boost as Les Bleus prepare for the World Cup.
