Norway's First Major Tournament in 26 Years: A New Era Under Ståle Solbakken Ståle Solbakken’s journey to leading Norway to their first major tournament since the 1998 World Cup is a story of resilience and tactical evolution. The Norwegian manager, who once sat as an unused substitute during the 1998 World Cup, has transformed his vision into a reality by steering the national team to the 2026 World Cup. Solbakken, a pragmatic strategist rooted in northern European football traditions, has built a squad that balances aggressive attacking play with disciplined defending, leveraging the talents of Erling Haaland and others to challenge the world’s elite. Norway’s approach under Solbakken is defined by flexibility and adaptability. The team typically employs a 4-3-3 formation, but their setup often shifts to resemble a 3-5-2, particularly when Antonio Nusa operates as a winger on the left and Julian Ryerson pushes up to act as a right winger. This allows strikers Erling Haaland and Alexander Sørloth to dominate central areas, exploiting space behind opposing defenses. Solbakken’s emphasis on maximizing the impact of his star players is evident in his strategies, which prioritize Haaland’s physicality and the vision of captain Martin Ødegaard. The manager’s pragmatic style is also reflected in his willingness to experiment with formations, such as a flatter 4-4-2, though this has had mixed results. The team’s group stage fixtures in the 2026 World Cup present varied challenges. Norway will face Iraq on 16 June in Boston, a match likely to focus on dominance and width. Against Senegal on 22 June in New York/New Jersey, Solbakken is expected to deploy a more varied and technical approach, while the clash with France on 26 June in Boston will test their ability to sit deeper and counterattack effectively.#erling_haaland #martin_odgaard #norway #stale_solbakken #antonia_nusa
