France and Norway head into their final group game level on points: two wins each, and both already through to the last 32.Their spearheads, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland, are also level on four goals apiece. One is chasing Lionel Messi as the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer, while the other is announcing himself on the game’s biggest stage for the first time.Top spot will dictate their knockout opponent and send ripples through the bracket.But beyond the forwards, the two sides have played in contrasting styles against the same two opponents in their first two games. The numbers that emerge are intriguing and will shape how the fixture plays out on Friday night in Massachusetts.France have completed 58.6 per cent of their passes in the opposition half and 41.4 in their own. Norway’s split is the exact inverse: 58.6 in their own half and 41.4 in the opposition’s.A palindrome of completed passes tells us where the ball will spend a lot of its time, and gives us a clue as to who might take advantage.France have trained this week without their head coach while Didier Deschamps returned home to grieve the loss of his mother. With this set to be his final World Cup in charge, his side have quietly undergone their most significant tactical shift in years.In 2018, France ranked 22nd out of 32 teams for possessions won in the final third per 90 minutes; in 2022, they ranked 19th.At this World Cup, they have won the ball in the final third 14 times across two games — seven per 90 — with only Spain ahead of them. The change shows how their defensive philosophy has evolved, tracing a move from a deeper block to hunting the ball higher up the pitch.Michael Olise encapsulates the approach — in and out of possession. Three possessions won in the final third, the most of any France player, sit alongside three assists and five through balls, both competition highs.