Norway vs. France: Can the Vikings stun the favourites at 2026 World Cup?

Ahead of the 2026 World Cup contention betwixt Norway and France, Sports Mole's Site Coordinator Ben Knapton discusses whether a daze effect could beryllium connected the cards.

Ben Knapton, Site Coordinator: 'There's a existent beardown consciousness of unity and togetherness'

It's lone their 4th ever World Cup, but this is simply a Norwegian aureate procreation and it looks similar they are coming good. 

Whenever the operation aureate procreation is used, I ever deliberation of Belgium and what happened to them, truthful I instrumentality it with a pinch of salt. 

They've scored 7 goals truthful far, the associated 2nd astir of each teams, lone down Germany. There's a existent beardown consciousness of unity and togetherness wrong this Norway camp. 

Haaland is the prima man, but defensive-minded players person contributed to 4 of their goals astatine the World Cup. 

There's 1 each for Ostigard and right-back Pedersen, an assistance for Berge, and besides an assistance from David Moller Wolfe, truthful determination are extremity involvements each crossed the field. 

Defensively, determination are surely questions to beryllium asked. 

For that archetypal Ismaila Sarr goal, I inactive don't cognize however helium managed to hook it into the extortion of the nett arsenic helium was falling down. 

That was a superb finish, but fundamentally they were astatine sixes and sevens for some of the Senegal goals. 

The 2nd extremity came successful stoppage clip and, portion it didn't impact the wide scoreline, it did marque a quality to the radical standings, due to the fact that if Norway hadn't conceded, they'd beryllium apical close present connected goals scored. 

You wonderment however large a quality that mightiness marque for who finishes archetypal and second. 

When they reached the past 16 of the World Cup successful 1998, they ne'er led astatine fractional clip successful immoderate game, yet they've done truthful successful some games truthful far. 

I don't deliberation you tin accidental they've truly exploded retired of the blocks, arsenic it took until the 43rd infinitesimal to find the backmost of the nett against Senegal. 

It's a truly tight-knit squad with a long-serving manager successful Stale Solbakken. 

I'm truly excited to spot what they tin do, firstly against France and past against whoever they look successful the second stages. Should beryllium a bully game.