Israel’s head coach, Ran Ben-Shimon, regards Norway and Spain as the top two football teams in Europe. His team faced a tough 5-0 defeat against Norway in a World Cup qualifier held in Oslo.
Despite not appearing in major tournaments since Euro 2000, Norway is close to securing a spot in next year’s World Cup, needing just three more points.
Norway currently leads Group I by six points over Italy, who have three matches left compared to Norway’s two. With a goal difference of +26, which is 19 more than Italy’s, one victory would almost ensure Norway finishes first. Erling Haaland’s hat-trick on Saturday brought his total to 12 goals in the 2026 qualifiers, trailing only Robert Lewandowski and Cristiano Ronaldo for most goals in a single cycle.
In just six matches, Norway has scored 29 goals, prompting Ben-Shimon to label them an elite team. “I believe that Norway are one of the top two teams in Europe, together with Spain,” he stated. Although Stale Solbakken, Norway’s coach, found this assessment flattering yet exaggerated, he welcomed the compliment.
Solbakken expressed his delight at the praise but remained cautious about fully embracing it. “It’s a bit of a stretch, but we’ll accept it!” he remarked. The team is set to play New Zealand in a friendly match on Tuesday before concluding their qualification campaign next month.
Solbakken wants his players to celebrate their recent success. “I’m excited too. We have been locked in since Sunday,” he said. He emphasised the importance of relaxing and enjoying themselves after their achievements. “You can always have one beer too much, but it’s good for us mentally,” he added.
The coach plans to let players and support staff unwind while abstaining himself. “We’re going to eat some food, and then I’ve actually said in the dressing room that there’s one man who isn’t going out tonight, and that’s me! The others will be able to go out and enjoy themselves: Both players and support staff.”
As they prepare for upcoming matches, Norway remains focused on maintaining their strong performance. Their recent victories have boosted confidence within the team as they aim for World Cup qualification.