Norway national football team - Definition and Overview

Norway

Nickname	-
Association	Norwegian Football Association
Coach	Åge Hareide, 2003-
Most caps	Thorbjørn Svenssen (104)
Top scorer	Jørgen Juve (33)
Home colours 　 Away colours
First International Sweden 11 - 3 Norway (Gothenburg, Sweden; 12 July, 1908)
Largest win Norway 12 - 0 Finland (Bergen, Norway; 28 June, 1946)
Worst defeat Sweden 9 - 0 Norway (Stockholm, Sweden; 8 June, 1913)
World Cup
Appearances	3 (First in 1938)
Best result	Round 2, 1998
European Championship
Appearances	1 (First in 2000)
Best result	Round 1, 2000

The Norway national football team, controlled by the Norwegian Football Association, participated three times in the World Cup in 1938, 1994 and 1998. It plays its home games in Ullevaal Stadium, a 25500 all-seater.

History

An Olympic team achieved third place in the 1936 Olympics, after beating the hosts Germany earlier in the tournament.

Norway had their most successful period from 1990 to 1998 under the legendary coach Egil Roger Olsen, called Drillo because of his dribbling skills as a player. He started his training career with Norway with a 6-1 home victory against Cameroon October 31 1990 and ended it on June 27 1998 after a 0-1 defeat against Italy in the second stage of the 1998 World Cup.

In the 1994 World Cup in the USA, Norway was knocked out at the group stage after a win against Mexico, a draw against Italy and a draw against the Republic of Ireland. In France 1998, Norway got to the first cup-round after a draw against Scotland and Morocco, and a 2-1 win over Brazil in the last match. Norway finished second in their group. Norway then had to face Italy, but was defeated by a 1-0 result. During the 1998 World Cup tournament Norway received some criticism, because of their somewhat defensive tactics.

The former U-21 coach Nils Johan Semb replaced him after his planned retirement, but did not manage to achieve the same results as Olsen. He was replaced by Åge Hareide towards the end of 2003, who came from Rosenborg.

Some of Norway's best single results are: Norway-Brazil 2-1 on June 23, 1998 in the World Cup group stage, and Norway-Brazil 4-2 on May 30, 1997. In fact, Norway is one of few teams that Brazil never have managed to beat.

World Cup record

• 1930 - Did not enter
• 1934 - Did not enter
• 1938 - Round 1
• 1950 - Did not enter
• 1954 to 1990 - Did not qualify
• 1994 - Round 1
• 1998 - Round 2
• 2002 - Did not qualify

European Championship record

• 1960 to 1996 - Did not qualify
• 2000 - Round 1
• 2004 - Did not qualify

Selected famous players

• Alf-Inge Håland
• Andre Bergdølmo
• Arne Larsen Økland
• Bjarne Berntsen
• Christer Basma
• Claus Lundekvam
• Einar Jan Aas
• Erik Mykland
• Erik Soler
• Erik Thorstvedt
• Frode Grodås
• Gunnar Halle
• Gøran Sørloth
• Hallvar Thoresen
• Harald "Dutte" Berg
• Henning Berg
• Henry "Tippen" Johansen
• Jan Åge Fjørtoft
• John Arne Riise
• John Carew
• Jostein Flo
• Jørgen Juve
• Karl-Petter Løken
• Kjetil Rekdal
• Lars Bohinen
• Jahn Ivar "Mini" Jakobsen
• Odd Iversen
• Ole Gunnar Solskjær
• Per Egil Ahlsen
• Petter Rudi
• Pål Jacobsen
• Reidar Kvammen
• Roald "Kniksen" Jensen
• Roar Strand
• Ronny Johnsen
• Rune Bratseth
• Steffen Iversen
• Stig Inge Bjørnebye
• Ståle Solbakken
• Svein Grøndalen
• Sverre Brandhaug
• Terje Kojedal
• Thomas Myhre
• Thorbjørn Svenssen
• Tom Lund
• Tom Sundby
• Tor Egil Johansen
• Tore André Flo
• Tore Pedersen
• Trond Andersen
• Vidar Davidsen
• Vidar Riseth
• Åge Hareide
• Øyvind Leonhardsen

See also: Category:Norwegian footballers

Top Norway goalscorers

Norway managers

• Willibald Hahn 1953-1955
• Ron Lewin 1956-1957
• Edmund Majowsky 1958
• Ragnar Nikolai Larsen 1958
• Kristian Henriksen 1959
• Wilhelm Friedrich Kment 1960-1962
• Ragnar Nikolai Larsen 1962-1966
• Wilhelm Friedrich Kment 1967-1969
• Øivind Johannessen 1970-1971
• George Curtis 1972-1974
• Kjell Schou-Andreassen and Nils Arne Eggen 1975-1977
• Tor Røste Fossen 1978-1987
• Tord Grip 1987-1988
• Ingvar Stadheim 1988-1990
• Egil "Drillo" Olsen 1990-1998
• Nils Johan Semb 1998-2003
• Åge Hareide 2003-

External links

• Official website of The Norwegian Football Association (NFF) in English and Norwegian (http://www.fotball.no/)
• RSSSF archive of results 1908- (http://www.rsssf.no/stats/AlltimeNational.html)