By Tommy Lund
(Reuters) – Former World Cup champions Norway have high hopes of advancing far at this year’s tournament, as the humiliating exit from the 2022 European Championship still weighs heavily on the team.
Norway were eliminated from Group A with three points after enduring their biggest defeat ever, as England secured an 8-0 victory in the second match.
Following their exit, Swedish coach Martin Sjogren stepped down and was subsequently replaced by Norwegian Hege Riise.
“When we got hired, my coaching staff and I weren’t sure what kind of emotions the player would come in with and how devastating that had been emotionally,” Riise told FIFA.
Having played a pivotal role as a player in the team that won the World Cup in 1995, there are high hopes for Riise to lead Norway back to their former glory.
Norway excelled during World Cup qualification, winning nine out of ten matches. However, they have faced difficulties since then, managing to win only one out of five games played in 2023.
Their poor run has sparked concerns that Riise’s squad might have lost their peak form, and that the underlying defensive issues that have plagued the team in past tournaments have yet to be addressed.
Riise can choose from a talented pool of players, including Olympique Lyonnais striker Ada Hegerberg, the first-ever recipient of the women’s Ballon d’Or in 2018.
Hegerberg returned to the Norway team in 2022 after an almost five-year absence. However, she recently suffered an injury scare and needs to be in top shape to fulfil Norway’s ambitions.
She can be paired with Caroline Graham Hansen, who recently won the Champions League with Barcelona.
Winger Guro Reiten from Chelsea and Arsenal midfielder Frida Maanum will provide quality in support of Hegerberg and Graham Hansen.
But since August last year, Riise has focused on strengthening the team’s defensive structure. Captain Maren Mjelde, an experienced 33-year-old, will play a crucial role as either a centre-back or a defensive midfielder.
Norway are widely regarded as the favourites in Group A, with Switzerland being their main rival. However, hosts New Zealand, who they open the tournament against on July 20, should not be underestimated. Norway will also face the Philippines.
Failing to progress to the knockout stage would be considered a significant letdown for one of the former powerhouses of the women’s game.
(Reporting by Tommy Lund in Gdansk; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
