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First Touch ’26 - Norway
The land of the Vikings is back on the World Cup stage for the first time since 1998—and Norway arrive as one of the tournament’s must-watch darlings, led by their modern-day “Jarl”: Erling Haaland. In this World Cup Capsule, David Gass breaks down how the Norwegians turned a generation of talent into a true golden age, built around Haaland’s ruthless finishing and robot-like intensity, and Martin Ødegaard’s leadership and creativity from midfield.
We trace the roots of Norwegian football—from the early clubs and the founding of the federation, to the quirks of a domestic game shaped by…
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