Norway’s head coach Ståle Solbakken explained his decision to rest 10 key players in the 2026 World Cup match against France, which ended in a 4-1 defeat for Norway.
“It was straightforward,” Solbakken said. “After the game against Senegal, we reviewed the situation and found that five or six players were heavily affected after 80 minutes on the pitch. The entire defense and some midfielders were significantly fatigued.
So, for me, as well as for the physiotherapists, doctors, and some of the players themselves, the decision was clear. They all expressed that many of them would struggle to perform.
Fans wanted to see Erling and Martin Ødegaard, but we quickly made a different choice. Erling and Martin are team players; they understand what’s best for the squad. Supporters want to watch them, but hopefully, in the coming weeks, we can give them several wonderful summer evenings.
We have given the fans some victories and the chance to watch more Norwegian matches, and that’s why we are here. We are not a naive country that comes to the World Cup just for entertainment. We want to stay as long as possible, so this was an obvious decision.”
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