Aursnes criticised: pundit says national team isn’t a casual choice | OneFootball

The return of Fredrik Aursnes to the Norwegian national team is generating divided reactions in the country. Among the most critical is Yaw Amankwah, a former Norwegian international and TV2 commentator, who acknowledges the sporting value of the Benfica midfielder but raises questions about the message this return might send to the group and to the fans.

"The fans are celebrating. He is a player of great class, who has made an impact in the Champions League and who can fill the left central midfield position in the national team. This is one of the few uncertainties that still remain in Stale Solbakken's starting eleven and, in a way, the last piece missing to complete the coach's puzzle. In that sense, it is clearly a great improvement,” he began by saying.

However, he pointed out that the debate is not limited to on-field performance, recalling that Aursnes stepped away due to a lack of motivation and is now returning at a particularly appealing moment, with a World Cup final phase on the horizon. “This is a player who retired from the national team two years ago, citing a lack of motivation. Now, he is available to return precisely before a World Cup, for which he did not contribute during Norway’s qualification process. The national team is not a place where you play whenever you feel like it, when the games are attractive enough, or when there is a major competition on the horizon,” he stated.

The midfielder currently has 20 caps and one goal for Norway, having played his last match on November 19, 2023, against Scotland, in the final round of Euro qualification. Coach Solbakken maintained a constant dialogue with the player over the months.

This season, wearing the Benfica shirt, Fredrik Aursnes – valued at 17 million euros – has already played a total of 39 official matches: 20 in Liga Portugal Betclic, 12 in the Champions League, four in the Portuguese Cup, two in the League Cup, and one in the Super Cup. In the 3,330 minutes he has spent on the pitch, the midfielder has recorded four goals and seven assists.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.