They reached the global tournament for the first time since 1998
\n LONDON
\nErling Haaland and Martin Odegaard headline Norway\u2019s World Cup squad, which was announced in a video by the country\u2019s King Harald V on Thursday.
\nManchester City striker Haaland and Arsenal midfielder Odegaard, who will captain, are among the starriest names in a 26-man squad that has reached the global tournament for the first time since 1998.
\nOther prominent names include RB Leipzig\u2019s Antonio Nusa, Atletico Madrid\u2019s Alexander Sorloth, Borussia Dortmund\u2019s Julian Ryerson, Crystal Palace\u2019s Jorgen Strand Larsen and Fulham\u2019s Oscar Bobb.
\nNorway are in Group I along with France, Senegal and Iraq. It has been billed as one of the World Cup\u2019s toughest groups.
\nBut Norway reached the tournament in style, winning all eight of their qualifying matches in a group that included four-time World Cup winners Italy.
\n\u201cWe believe that we have a strong squad. This is a squad that has achieved great results over a long period of time,\u201d said manager Stale Solbakken.
\nIn his pre-recorded message on social media, King Harald said the country has \u201cwaited a long time\u201d to return to the World Cup.
\n\u201cThe hope has lived on \u2014 on gravel, on grass and artificial turf… Across long distances, ferries and mountain passes,\u201d he said, as the video showed remote, wild landscapes in a country that stretches far north of the Arctic Circle.
\nGoalkeeper Sander Tangvik is the only uncapped player in the squad, having made the list in part because rival Nikita Haikin\u2019s attempt to switch his sporting nationality from Russian to Norwegian was rejected by governing body FIFA due to residency requirements.
\nNorway will play warm-up friendly matches against Sweden and Morocco early next month, before their opening World Cup clash against Iraq on June 16.
\nSquad:
\nGoalkeepers: Orjan Haskjold Nyland (Sevilla FC\/ESP), Sander Tangvik (Hamburger SV\/GER), Egil Selvik (Watford FC\/ENG).
\nDefenders: Kristoffer Vassbakk Kopp Ajer (Brentford FC\/ENG), Leo Skiri Ostigard (Genoa CFC\/ITA), David Moller Wolfe (Wolverhampton Wanderers FC\/ENG), Fredrik Andre Bjorkan (FK Bodo-Glimt\/NOR), Marcus Holmgren Pedersen (Torino FC\/ITA), Torbjorn Lysaker Heggem (Bologna FC 1909 SPA\/ITA), Sondre Klingen Langas (Derby County\/ENG), Henrik Saelebakke Falchener (Viking Football Club\/NOR), Julian Ryerson (Borussia Dortmund\/GER)
\nMidfielders: Morten Thorsby (Cremonese SPA\/ITA), Patrick Berg (FK Bodo-Glimt\/NOR), Sander Berge (Fulham FC\/ENG), Martin Odegaard (Arsenal F.C.\/ENG), Fredrik Aursnes (SL Benfica\/POR), Kristian Thorstvedt (Sassuolo\/ITA), Thelonious Aasgaard (Rangers FC\/SCO), Antonio Eromonsele Nordby Nusa (RB Leipzig\/GER), Andreas Raedergard Schjelderup (SL Benfica\/POR), Oscar Bobb (Fulham FC\/ENG), Jens Petter Hauge (FK Bodo-Glimt\/NOR)
\nForwards: Alexander Sorloth (Atletico Madrid\/ESP), Erling Braut Haaland (Manchester City FC\/ENG), Jorgen Strand Larsen (Crystal Palace\/ENG)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
They reached the global tournament for the first time since 1998 LONDON Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard headline Norway\u2019s World Cup squad, which was announced in a video by the country\u2019s King Harald V on Thursday. Manchester City striker Haaland and Arsenal midfielder Odegaard, who will captain, are among the starriest names in a 26-man […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":547962,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-547917","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sports"],"yoast_head":"\n