Norway's World Cup guide arrives as Solbakken faces defensive concerns

Your World Cup guide is here

A comprehensive guide to Norway's 2026 World Cup campaign has dropped ahead of the tournament. Your team goes in with real questions to answer: the 1–1 friendly draw with Morocco in New Jersey showed an electric press that faded fast, and defensive cracks that Ståle Solbakken must fix before the group stage. Martin Ødegaard remains the creative heartbeat – he scored the equalizer against Morocco after Brahim Díaz opened the scoring. Fredrik Aursnes and Andreas Schjelderup both featured in that match, and Solbakken is still fuming over Scotland canceling a planned training game at the last minute, calling it unprofessional (1). The guide covers everything you need heading into the finals.

Thelo Aasgaard's unlikely path to the national team

You might not know Thelo Aasgaard's story yet, but you should. The Norwegian midfielder was rejected by Liverpool's academy at age 14, then rebuilt his career the hard way. His father is a professional cellist, and Aasgaard's journey back to the international stage is one of resilience (2). With Solbakken's squad still searching for consistent midfield balance beyond Ødegaard, Aasgaard's profile is worth tracking.