In the middle of the Olympic race, where Norway is raking in medals, we know the big moment for many will come this summer. The skiing nation Norway is well used to success on snow, it has been very thin with success on green grass surfaces. This is changing now. 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.
READ: Near sensational Manchester United reunion, as Tottenham plan bold manager hijacking
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 definitely does not send a bunch of football tourists to the World Cup!
