Norway are back at the FIFA World Cup for the first time since 1998, and they have returned with arguably the most talented generation of players the country has ever produced.
Under coach Ståle Solbakken, they ran through UEFA qualifying without dropping a single point, winning all eight matches, scoring 37 goals, conceding just five, and finishing comfortably ahead of Italy in their group, in what was a stunning perfect qualifying campaign.
They are in Group I alongside France, Senegal, and Iraq, with games in Foxborough and New York, and the entire football world will be watching very closely.
Here are the 10 best soccer players from Norway at the 2026 World Cup.
1. Erling Haaland — Forward
Position: Striker
Age: 25 | Club: Manchester City (England), Erling Haaland is Norway’s all-time record goalscorer with 55 goals in 50 caps a ratio of 1.15 goals per game that makes him one of the most prolific international scorers in football history, and the only player in over 50 years to reach 50 international goals in fewer than 50 caps.
He scored 16 goals in Norway’s eight qualifying matches alone, scoring in every single game, the most of any player across all confederations in the entire 2026 qualifying cycle, double the tally of the next-best scorer in Europe.
At Manchester City, he scored 41 goals and assisted 10 in all competitions in 2025/26, won the Premier League Golden Boot with 27 league goals, and has broken virtually every Premier League goalscoring record in existence.
This is his first major international tournament, and he is arriving hungry. He is one of the best strikers in the world and the most dangerous player in Group I by a considerable distance.
2. Martin Ødegaard — Midfielder (Captain)
Position: Attacking Midfielder
Age: 27 | Club: Arsenal (England)
Martin Ødegaard is the captain of Norway and the captain of Arsenal, where he helped the club win their first Premier League title in 22 years in 2025/26, though he had a difficult personal season with multiple injuries that restricted him to fewer than ten league starts.
In qualifying, Ødegaard provided seven assists, the most of any player in Europe, and produced a performance against Israel where he created eight chances with an expected assists value of 1.08, the best statistics by any player in a single qualifying match across all of UEFA.
With 68 caps and 5 international goals, he is Norway’s creative engine, the player who connects Haaland to the rest of the team, and a player who sets the tempo of everything Solbakken’s side does.
He is one of the best playmakers in world football and the key to how deep Norway go in this tournament.
3. Alexander Sørloth — Forward
Position: Striker
Age: 30 | Club: Atlético Madrid (Spain)
Alexander Sørloth is one of the most physically imposing strikers in European football and Norway’s most important attacking option beyond Haaland, with 26 goals in 72 caps making him joint third on Norway’s all-time scoring list.
After a career that included a forgettable two-year loan at Crystal Palace, he rebuilt spectacularly with Villarreal in La Liga before earning a move to Atlético Madrid, where he has continued to score consistently under Diego Simeone.
He gives Solbakken a powerful, aerially dominant option who can either play alongside Haaland in a dual-striker formation or lead the line in his absence, and his La Liga experience means opponents in Group I will not find him easy to handle.
He is one of the most accomplished European strikers of his generation.
4. Antonio Nusa — Forward/Winger
Position: Winger
Age: 21 | Club: RB Leipzig (Germany)
Antonio Nusa is the most exciting young player in this Norway squad and one of the most electric attacking talents at the entire 2026 World Cup, having already scored on his Champions League debut at just 17 for Club Brugge against Porto, becoming the second youngest player of any nationality to score in the competition.
He joined RB Leipzig in 2024 on a five-year deal and finished 2025/26 with 5 Bundesliga goals and another 5 in cup and European competition across 35 appearances.
With 24 caps and 8 international goals for Norway, he is direct, fast, and impossible to pin down in wide areas.
He is one of the most exciting generational talents at this World Cup and the player most likely to produce a moment of individual brilliance that changes a tight group game.
5. Sander Berge — Midfielder
Position: Defensive/Central Midfielder
Age: 28 | Club: Fulham (England)
Sander Berge is the midfield anchor of this Norway side and one of the most important structural players in Solbakken’s 4-3-3 system, shielding the defence, winning second balls, and distributing quickly to allow Ødegaard and the attackers to express themselves.
With 66 caps and Premier League experience at Sheffield United and now Fulham, he brings the physical presence and tactical discipline that high-pressing football demands, and his engine is central to the way Norway transition from defence to attack at pace.
He is one of the best defensive midfielders the Nordic countries have produced in his generation.
6. Jørgen Strand Larsen — Forward
Position: Striker/Forward
Age: 26 | Club: Crystal Palace (England)
Jørgen Strand Larsen is Norway’s third striking option and a player who gives Solbakken a different physical threat from the bench or from the start — a tall, aerially dominant, hold-up forward who scored steadily in qualifying and has become a reliable performer in the Premier League with Crystal Palace.
With 28 caps and 6 international goals, he is not the flashiest player in the squad but he is the type of experienced, composed finisher who can win a tight match in the final 20 minutes when energy is low and space opens up.
He is one of the best young strikers in the Premier League.
7. Oscar Bobb — Midfielder/Winger
Position: Winger/Midfielder
Age: 22 | Club: Fulham (England)
Oscar Bobb is one of the most technically gifted young players in the Norwegian squad, having come through Manchester City’s academy before joining Fulham on a five-year deal for £27m in January 2026.
A significant transfer that reflects the level of belief English football has in his ability.
With 20 caps and 2 international goals, his initial breakthrough was disrupted by a serious injury but he has since returned to full fitness and is bringing genuine Premier League quality to a wide role in Solbakken’s front three.
He is one of the best quick and direct wide players in this squad and could have a breakout tournament if he gets the opportunity.
8. Kristoffer Ajer — Defender
Position: Centre-Back/Right-Back
Age: 28 | Club: Brentford (England)
Kristoffer Ajer is Norway’s most reliable defensive performer and one of the first names on Solbakken’s team sheet, capable of playing at centre-back or at right-back in a versatile defensive role that gives the manager options across the back line.
With 52 caps and consistent Premier League football at Brentford, he brings the composure, physical presence, and aerial ability needed to handle the world-class attackers Norway will face in Group I, including Kylian Mbappé in their final group game against France.
He is one of the best defenders Scandinavia has produced in years.
9. Julian Ryerson — Defender
Position: Right-Back/Wing-Back
Age: 28 | Club: Borussia Dortmund (Germany)
Julian Ryerson is Norway’s starting right-back and a player who has developed into one of the most reliable defensive performers at Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga, bringing consistent energy, defensive solidity, and the ability to contribute in attacking transitions.
With 43 caps and 1 international goal, he scored in qualifying, his experience at one of Europe’s biggest clubs gives Norway a right side that can handle the pace and quality of Premier League and Bundesliga-level wide players.
He was actually the man who opened the scoring in Norway’s very first qualifying match, a 5-0 win in Moldova, which set the tone for a perfect campaign.
10. Ørjan Nyland — Goalkeeper
Position: Goalkeeper
Age: 35 | Club: Sevilla (Spain)
Ørjan Nyland is Norway’s undisputed number one and one of the most experienced players in the squad with 71 caps, bringing the La Liga know-how of his seasons at Sevilla to the most important position on the pitch as Norway face France, Senegal, and Iraq.
He is a commanding shot-stopper who organises his defensive line well and performs under pressure in the biggest matches, qualities that will be tested severely in Group I, where Norway’s clean sheet record in qualifying will need to continue against significantly better opposition.
He is one of the most reliable goalkeepers the country has produced.
Conclusion
Norway are back after 28 years away, and they have brought the most complete squad they have ever assembled to a World Cup. Haaland is the focal point of everything, Ødegaard is the creative engine, and the depth across midfield and attack gives Solbakken real options.
Group I is brutal — France in the final game is one of the hardest draws possible — but Norway were unbeaten through qualifying against everyone they faced. They are nobody’s easy game.
Other players worth watching include Thelo Aasgaard, Kristian Thorstvedt, Fredrik Aursnes, and Andreas Schjelderup.
Who do you think will be Norway’s standout player at the 2026 World Cup? Let us know in the comments!
