Haaland and Odegaard lead Norway's World Cup hopes after 28-year absence

Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard headline Norway’s World Cup squad, which was announced in a video by the country’s King Harald V on Thursday.

Manchester City striker Haaland and Arsenal midfielder Odegaard, who will captain, are among the starriest names in a 26-man squad that has reached the global tournament for the first time since 1998.

Other prominent names include RB Leipzig’s Antonio Nusa, Atletico Madrid’s Alexander Sorloth, Borussia Dortmund’s Julian Ryerson, Crystal Palace’s Jorgen Strand Larsen and Fulham’s Oscar Bobb.

Norway are in Group I along with France, Senegal and Iraq. It has been billed as one of the World Cup’s toughest groups.

But Norway reached the tournament in style, winning all eight of their qualifying matches in a group that included four-time World Cup winners Italy.

“We believe that we have a strong squad. This is a squad that has achieved great results over a long period of time,” said manager Stale Solbakken.

In his pre-recorded message on social media, King Harald said the country has “waited a long time” to return to the World Cup.

“The hope has lived on — on gravel, on grass and artificial turf… Across long distances, ferries and mountain passes,” he said, as the video showed remote, wild landscapes in a country that stretches far north of the Arctic Circle.

Goalkeeper Sander Tangvik is the only uncapped player in the squad, having made the list in part because rival Nikita Haikin’s attempt to switch his sporting nationality from Russian to Norwegian was rejected by governing body FIFA due to residency requirements.

Norway will play warm-up friendly matches against Sweden and Morocco early next month, before their opening World Cup clash against Iraq on June 16.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Orjan Haskjold Nyland (Sevilla FC/ESP), Sander Tangvik (Hamburger SV/GER), Egil Selvik (Watford FC/ENG).

Defenders: Kristoffer Vassbakk Kopp Ajer (Brentford FC/ENG), Leo Skiri Ostigard (Genoa CFC/ITA), David Moller Wolfe (Wolverhampton Wanderers FC/ENG), Fredrik Andre Bjorkan (FK Bodo-Glimt/NOR), Marcus Holmgren Pedersen (Torino FC/ITA), Torbjorn Lysaker Heggem (Bologna FC 1909 SPA/ITA), Sondre Klingen Langas (Derby County/ENG), Henrik Saelebakke Falchener (Viking Football Club/NOR), Julian Ryerson (Borussia Dortmund/GER)

Midfielders: Morten Thorsby (Cremonese SPA/ITA), Patrick Berg (FK Bodo-Glimt/NOR), Sander Berge (Fulham FC/ENG), Martin Odegaard (Arsenal F.C./ENG), Fredrik Aursnes (SL Benfica/POR), Kristian Thorstvedt (Sassuolo/ITA), Thelonious Aasgaard (Rangers FC/SCO), Antonio Eromonsele Nordby Nusa (RB Leipzig/GER), Andreas Raedergard Schjelderup (SL Benfica/POR), Oscar Bobb (Fulham FC/ENG), Jens Petter Hauge (FK Bodo-Glimt/NOR)

Forwards: Alexander Sorloth (Atletico Madrid/ESP), Erling Braut Haaland (Manchester City FC/ENG), Jorgen Strand Larsen (Crystal Palace/ENG)