We liked the answer of national team coach Didier Deschamps, when it became clear that France will face Norway in the World Cup group stage, and he was asked about the giants Haaland and Mbappé’s duel: “… they also have Sørloth, which is also good.” In recent months and weeks, Deschamps has surely learned that Norway has more than Haaland – and Sørloth.
The World Cup qualification was liberating in itself, but when we see how – and where – our national team players are getting ready for this summer’s championship, it ignites a spark of football hope. Norway does not travel to America like football tourists.
Here is a small excerpt from the Norwegian national team players’ week at work: Morten Thorsby shows off in his debut for his new Serie A club, Cremonese, with a goal against the big club Atalanta. That was on Monday. On Wednesday, it is Jørgen Strand Larsen’s turn. First home game for a new club, Crystal Palace, two goals in front of a home crowd against Burnley. On the same day, Erling Haaland has put in another goal, this time against Fulham. This comes three days after the world’s best striker sunk Liverpool at Anfield with a match-winning goal in injury time.
At Fulham, Sander Berge is in the starting eleven (but couldn’t stop City). Oscar Bobb is on his way back from injury, and got eighteen minutes for his new club – against his former club.
Wednesday was also the quarter-final of the German Cup between RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich, here Antonio Nusa was also a given in Leipzig’s starting eleven (could not prevent Bayern victory).
On Thursday, Kristoffer Ajer at Brentford will send Premier League leaders Arsenal into the shower with just one point. On the other side of the halfway line, our captain was on the pitch for one lap, on his way back from the muscle injury. In the last eight games, Ødegaard has been behind 4 assists and 1 goal for the Premier League’s best club. On the same day, Alexander Sørloth was back after a head injury. There were 22 minutes on the pitch in Atletico Madrid’s thrilling 4-0 win against Barcelona in the Copa del Rey. Sørloth left the scoring to his teammates this time, but three goals in the last five La Liga games before the head injury says a lot about the potential.
Then came Friday. Then it was time for Julian Ryerson. The Borussia Dortmund player is hailed by Eurosport as Norway’s new superstar after an assist hat-trick against Mainz, Dortmund now only three points behind league leader Bayern Munich (Bayern 1 fewer games played).
This was a selection of the Norwegian national team players’ week at the match arena, talk about a raw week! Norway will definitely not send a bunch of football tourists to the World Cup! Deschamps, Mbappé and France have been warned.
