In an exciting World Cup there were few matches that beforehand seemed as exciting as this one, with the obvious headline “Haaland versus Mbappé”, two of the world’s best strikers on the World Cup stage.
Perhaps Erling Braut Haaland was right in his assessment of Norway’s match against France on Friday. And perhaps he was right that France is going to win the World Cup, something which in that case is hardly going to be a big surprise.
Haaland admitted, after Norway had already secured advancement to the knockout stage, that Norway would have it tough against France in the last group match.
This writes sports journalist Chris Bumbaca in USA Today.
Norway chose “thanks, but no thanks”
That Norway would have it tough against France became extra clear when Solbakken chose to field the reserve team. Almost all who started in the 3-2 victory over Senegal four days earlier sat on the bench. The match ended in a 4-1 defeat to France, who controlled the game from the first second.
Haaland and Norway chose the international football version of “thanks, but no thanks” and thought it was more important to rest than potentially to win the group, something they of course have every right to. But why not at least consider the possibility of winning the group and ending with nine or seven points, instead of settling for six? asks Bumbaca.
Haaland and Norway did the international soccer version of “thanks but no thanks” and thought that resting was a higher-value play than potentially winning the group, as is their prerogative. But why not at least entertain the idea of winning the group and finishing with nine or seven points, instead of settling for six?
Bumbaca believes that the decision by national team manager Ståle Solbakken deprived fans of a spectacular experience. In a World Cup where most matches have been entertaining, there were few that beforehand seemed as exciting on paper as this one.
The match had the obvious headline Haaland versus Mbappé. Two of the world’s best strikers could have had the chance to settle the debate on the World Cup stage.
But this one had the obvious headline of “Haaland vs. Mbappé,” two of the best strikers in the world having the chance to settle some debate on the World Cup stage. The decision by manager Ståle Solbakken robbed fans of that spectacle.
We mustn’t come here and play dumb
According to Chris Bumbaca, Solbakken defended the decision and said the following:
– We must not be the country that comes here and plays dumb, Solbakken said. – So we are here to go as far as possible. And then we have to make the decisions, or I have to make the decisions, that I think are right for us to go as far as possible. But, of course, I feel a little bit (badly) about it.
The quote is taken from FIFA’s press conference after the match. Only one correction: Solbakken said “naive”, not “dumb”.
Getting through the group was nevertheless the main goal for Norway. Solbakken was so happy after the victory over Senegal on Monday that he ended up up on the stand at MetLife Stadium to celebrate that Norway had advanced in the tournament.
But Bumbaca noticed that France’s defence had problems with Norway’s reserves, which strengthened the impression that this could have been a more even match if both teams had been at full strength. The tall centre back William Saliba, around 193 cm, was out with injury.
After the match, France’s defender Jules Koundé said that he was a bit surprised by Norway’s team, but that they nevertheless adapted quickly. They wanted to win the group, and they did.
Why is Haaland on the bench?
In the first half, when France led 2–1 and Norway had a good chance to equalise, Bumbaca wondered why Haaland was sitting on the bench. Shortly afterwards Dembélé scored again, and it became 3–1. Early in the second half Norway got a penalty, but Mike Maignan saved the shot from Jørgen Strand Larsen.
Bumbaca writes that it is not about whether Haaland would have scored, the point is that it should have been him who stood there. And in the 67th minute the supporters on the south side of Gillette Stadium started chanting for Haaland:
Debating whether Haaland would have netted his penalty is not the point – it’s that he should have been the one lining it up anyway. During the 67th minute, fans on the south side of Gillette Stadium started chanting for Haaland.
Solbakken understood that the fans were disappointed, but said that he does not make tactical decisions based on emotions from spectators or the whole country, writes Bumbaca. He acknowledged that many would have liked to see Haaland and Ødegaard on the pitch. Nevertheless he hoped that they could give the fans some nice summer evenings in the weeks ahead.
– They want to see Erling, they want to see Martin (Ødegaard), so that’s the only reason that you can feel something about the way we lined up today, Solbakken said. – But hopefully because of that, we can give them some good summer nights in the next weeks.
Bumbaca writes that the reasons to rest Haaland and the others were health-related and out of fear for yellow cards, but Haaland had not received any card in the tournament, seemed fresh and had scored two goals in each of the first two group matches.
To win the game, you gotta be in it
Solbakken also mentioned that Ivory Coast gets an extra rest day before the knockout stage, while Norway must fly extra and change hotels. Nevertheless Bumbaca believes that to win a match, one must participate in it.
– France fielded their best players and won, says Bumbaca. – While Norway chose to meet the world’s best team with the difficulty level turned all the way up.
To win the game, you gotta be in it, though. France’s stars were on the pitch. They won. Oversimplification? Sure. But sometimes, the answer is easier than presumed to be. And for some reason, Norway decided to play the best team in the world with the difficulty turned all the way up.
The “Red, White and Blue” won’t hate their matchup against Ivory Coast. Winning the group in their first World Cup since 1998 would have been the bigger win, though.
«The Red, White and Blue» will hardly dislike meeting Ivory Coast, but winning the group in their first World Cup since 1998 would have been an even bigger win.
Bumbaca quotes Patrick Berg, who called the rotation a “win-win situation” and thought that France was a top team that deserved the victory and first place.
– So yes, they really look strong and see themselves as big favourites. They are here to compete and to win the tournament, said Berg.
Perhaps the outcome of the match was decided long before Haaland made his prediction, concludes Bumbaca. Perhaps the whole tournament is already a “fait accompli”, with the 2022 silver medallists destined to win the trophy again.
Norway could have had a say in this matter, but chose not to. «Les Bleus» march on as big favourites, and everyone knows it, including their opponent on the pitch.
Norway could have had a say in that. They opted not to. Les Bleus march on as the prohibitive favourites – and everybody knows it, even the opposition.