There is every chance that the planet will meet a rising football power next summer. 

Barring a miracle equal to a sporting cataclysm, Norway will participate in the World Cup and, based on their potential, individual and team quality, as well as their professional leadership, could be a pleasant surprise of the tournament in North America.

Stale Solbakken’s team is racing towards the final tournament, and after a convincing victory over Israel (5:0), they have at least secured a play-off spot. 

However, it does not seem that they will be satisfied with that, because after six matches, they are the leader in the qualifying group I table, with a good chance of staying there even though they will play their last match at San Siro against Italy. 

Shaken and unconvincing, and if we know that the Scandinavians have the advantage and because of the celebrations on their home field, it is logical that many are already seeing them in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Norway has everything needed for modern football at the representative level. 

Strength, speed, a sense of combination, efficiency, team spirit, and strong support from the nation. If so, then the maximum performance from the first six matches is a logical consequence of such potential. 

The Vikings have won every match, scored 29, conceded only three goals, and are by far the most attractive selection in the European qualifiers so far, although the English, Portuguese, Spanish, French, Austrians, and Swiss also have perfect performances. Admittedly, in a smaller number of matches.

But the Norwegians are something special. 

They play by pressing the gas pedal and not letting go until the referee blows the final whistle. And the final whistle almost came midway through the first half of the match against the Israelis, who looked doomed, similar to the Moldovans in September when they conceded 11 goals.

The triumph at the Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo can be interpreted in several ways. 

First, through the prism of Erling Haaland’s performance, as the Manchester City ace confirmed that he is the top scorer of the qualifiers so far. He scored a hat-trick and thus reached 12 goals in six matches. 

He averages two goals per match. Overall, he broke the 50-goal mark for the national team, now has 51, and that’s in 46 matches since his debut on September 5, 2019. Astonishing. Frightening.

Logically, Erling Haaland is the first name and surname of this national team, however, it would be wrong to talk only about him. 

The strong center forward is always in the foreground, on the front pages, in the breaking news, his body overshadows the rest of the team, but… 

Isn’t that enough to provoke a debate about what kind of selection Stale Solbakken has at his disposal and how it would cope without Haaland?

For example, in attack, it certainly has great strikers such as Alexander Sorloth or a reserve in the form of Jorgen Strand Larsen. 

On the flank, Antonio Nusa is furious (the third goal was a result of his breakthrough). 

In midfield, Patrik Berg and Sander Berge dominate, and that is a quality that few can resist.

It is therefore not surprising that, at least at this level, in the qualifiers, the absence of Martin Odegaard is not noticeable. 

The Arsenal striker is certainly the most talented player on this team, and in his absence, Sorloth was responsible for the creations. 

As strange as it may seem to some, two of the Norwegians’ three goals in the first half were secured by the former Villarreal player, with a cross for an own goal and a pass to Haaland. A treat! Just like Nusa’s two assists for Haaland in the following period.

In such circumstances, no one will blame Erling Haaland for missing the penalty twice. It will be written in the archives because the first shot was saved by Danijel 

Perec, only for the referees to determine that he was not on the goal line with both feet. 

The home team’s striker shot again, and the HSV goalkeeper caught it again. And – it did not annoy him, it motivated him.

Read more at Champion’s League.