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Erling Haaland has come out in defence of Norway head coach Stale Solbakken after his contentious choice to rest several first-team regulars in their lopsided loss to France. The Manchester City striker maintained that even with their best lineup, the outcome would likely have been the same. He believes the rotation strategy puts Norway in a better position heading into the knockout rounds, despite the criticism surrounding the decision.

Solbakken stands by his bold selection decision

Norway manager Stale Solbakken faced strong backlash after making ten changes to his starting XI for the crucial World Cup group-stage encounter against France. Although Norway still had a mathematical chance of topping the group, Solbakken opted to field a largely second-string squad. Midfielder Frederik Aursnes was the only player retained from the previous match, prompting widespread debate among fans and analysts.

France took full advantage of Norway’s weakened team, cruising to a commanding 4-1 victory. Top players such as Erling Haaland, Martin Odegaard, and Antonio Nusa remained on the bench, as Solbakken prioritised preserving their fitness for the knockout stages.

Haaland and Solbakken justify the selection call

After the match, Solbakken made it clear that he had no regrets about his tactical gamble. The experienced coach emphasised that his focus was on ensuring Norway’s long-term success in the tournament rather than risking injuries to key players during the group phase.

“I would do it again immediately,” Solbakken said after the match, as quoted by De Telegraaf. “We are here to go as far as possible, and I have to make the decisions I believe will take us the furthest. The only thing I feel sorry about is for the travelling supporters who came to see Erling, Martin, and the other stars.”

Haaland echoed his coach’s sentiments, dismissing any notion that their strongest side could have changed the result against the reigning world champions.

“I said beforehand that I don’t care, and that is still the case,” Haaland admitted. “France were the better team anyway. Even with our best eleven, I don’t think we could have beaten them.”

France’s dominance highlights Norway’s uphill task

Haaland went on to praise France’s outstanding performance, acknowledging the immense depth and talent spread throughout their squad. He singled out several French stars, noting how their relentless attacking options make them one of the most formidable teams in the competition.

“France have world-class players everywhere,” Haaland said. “[Kylian] Mbappe, [Michael] Olise, [Ousmane] Dembele… they just keep coming. They will trouble any side, and I genuinely think they can go very far. What they showed against us was frightening.”

Focus shifts to the knockout round

Norway now turn their attention to the Round of 32 clash against Ivory Coast. Solbakken will hope his decision to rest key players yields dividends, with Haaland, Odegaard, and the rest of the first-choice lineup expected to return fully refreshed for the crucial knockout tie.