The Norway national football team's 2026 World Cup campaign ended with a 2-1 quarter-final defeat to England on July 11. This concluded a tournament where the team showed considerable strength and progressed further than many anticipated.
According to an analysis from Squawka, Norway finished second in their group with six points from three games. They beat Iraq and Senegal but lost to France in a match where manager Stale Solbakken heavily rotated his side after qualification was secured. In the knockout stages, Norway won 2-1 against Ivory Coast in the last 32 and followed it up with an impressive 2-1 victory over five-time world champions Brazil in the last 16.
How did Norway's stars perform?
Erling Haaland was Norway's undisputed attacking weapon. He scored in all four World Cup games he played, netting seven times, a tally only surpassed by Lionel Messi's eight in the tournament. This makes him a top contender for the Golden Boot. The Squawka report highlights his incredible record: "This is a man who scores goals for fun, with 62 goals in 54 games." That’s not a typo. He has more goals than games for Norway. This season, he has scored seven goals in five appearances, according to our stats.
Martin Odegaard was the primary playmaker, providing three assists. Equally creative was Andreas Schjelderup, who also tallied three assists in just 183 minutes of action. Statistically, Schjelderup was more creative per 90 minutes than Odegaard. Both created two big chances. Interestingly, it was Erling Haaland who created the most chances overall for Norway with six, one more than Schjelderup.
Who was the defensive backbone?
Midfielder Fredrik Aursnes was a defensive pillar throughout the tournament. He made ten tackles, three more than the next highest Norwegian tackler, and committed five fouls. Despite his aggressive style, he was not booked, with only two Norwegian players receiving yellow cards in total. His work rate and precise tackling were key to winning back possession.
What does this mean for the future?
Norway's World Cup journey is over for now, but the team has proven it belongs among the world's elite. With a rising star like Antonio Nusa, who scored at the tournament and is now 21 with nine international goals, the future looks bright. The team's recent form, however, shows challenges with two consecutive losses, including the quarter-final. They currently sit second in the World Cup with six points and a +1 goal difference, three points behind leaders France.
Attention must now turn to the next fixture. Norway faces Denmark at home on September 24, a match you can find on our fixtures page. After a strong but ultimately disappointing World Cup, Solbakken's men will be focused on returning to winning ways and building on the positive experiences from Qatar.
