Star striker Erling Haaland makes Norway dream.
Source: dpa
After the 4-1 win against Estonia on Thursday, Norway national coach Ståle Solbakken let his emotions run wild. “I’m really relieved,” said the former 1. FC Köln coach. At halftime, the score was 0-0 in Oslo.
A mistake would send Italy back into the race for first place in Group I before the top clash in Milan on Sunday (20:45). After his seventh game win, Solbakken no longer felt like putting on his trademark poker face. Scandinavia must lose 9-0 or better to fail to qualify for the World Cup.
New self image
How likely that is was revealed by an ironic question that came up at both teams’ press conferences on Saturday. While Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso urged realism, Solbakken was succinct: “That’s not going to happen.”
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Norway’s farewell to a self-image that has failed for decades should now be official. Northern Europe has not taken part in a major tournament since the European Championships of 2000. Norway last attended a World Cup in 1998. The following period was marked by some strange failures. In 2015, Hungarian goalkeeper Gábor Király gave Norway a desperate run in the European Championship playoffs. In 2023, Solbakken’s team gave up a 1-0 lead against Scotland in the final minutes.
A long series of failures
“We often think that now is the time, and then things go wrong again,” TV2 Norway commentator Endre Lübeck concluded: “The national team is a source of frustration.”
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Most importantly, Solbakken still has to worry about missing Euro 2024. Even then, the high level of quality in his team will be no secret. Strikers Erling Haaland (25, Manchester City) and Alexander Sørloth (29, Atlético Madrid), like director Martin Ødegaard (26, Arsenal), are absolute protagonists at top clubs.
Norway’s Rangnick was thrilled
In the qualifying round, offensive talents such as Antonio Nusa (20, Leipzig), Oscar Bobb (22, Man City) and Thelo Aasgaard (23, Rangers FC), but also defensive workers such as Torbjørn Heggem (26, Bologna) and Kristoffer Ajer (27, Brentford) made their names.
The term “Golden Generation” has long been inaccurate. “I would be surprised if they don’t go to the World Cup,” said Austrian team boss Ralf Rangnick in October 2024:
For me this is one of the most interesting teams in Europe.
Ralph Rangnick
Improved defense and lots of offensive power
In the 1:5 defeat in Linz, Norway showed many defensive gaps. There are only a few left. After winning 5-0 in Moldova and winning 4-2 against Israel, the dominant 3-0 victory in the first leg against Italy in early June was an extraordinary moment that confirmed a new self-image. “No one in the stadium could believe what they were seeing,” Lübeck recalled.
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In the ensuing long-range duel with the Azzurri, who had won six out of six matches, Norway remained in control of the situation with great offensive power. The 33 goals scored were the best in qualifying. Since goal difference applies in case of a draw, it has been clear since the 11-1 win against Moldova in September: only a mistake against Israel (5-0) or Estonia (4-1) could jeopardize a World Cup ticket.
How far will the World Cup go?
Since the World Cup will be the first big stage for Haaland, Ødegaard et al., no one knows how strong the Norwegian team really is. Haaland himself blocked comparisons with top nations on Saturday: “There are a lot of things we have to improve,” said the former BVB goalkeeper:
We should not compare ourselves with England or Spain. That’s ridiculous.
Erling Haaland
TV Lübeck experts believe Norway can reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup. The euphoria in Indonesia could no longer be contained. More than 5,000 fans wanted to cheer on their team at San Siro. What will happen after that? “We don’t have a plan,” Solbakken said – and put on his poker face again.
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