Ryerson now a definite starter? How Norway fared in final test | OneFootball

For only the fourth time, little Norway (population 5.6 million) will take part in a World Cup finals. After a Golden Generation in the 1990s, the country has only recently re-emerged as a top force in European international football. Two players with BVB ties, who were also involved in Norway’s final test before the start of the 2026 World Cup, have played a part in that.

On June 1, Norway made another statement with a 3–1 win over another Scandinavian World Cup participant following a sensational World Cup qualifying campaign. With an incredible goal difference of 37:5 from just eight matches – including two wins over Italy – Norway impressed not only footballing Europe in qualifying. Also remarkable: sixteen of those 37 goals were scored by former BVB player Erling Haaland alone, meaning he scored twice as many goals as the second-best scorer in the European World Cup qualifiers.

Before departing for the USA, Norway had beaten Sweden 3–1 in Oslo. Two of the three goals were set up by none other than Julian Ryerson, who had already been one of the best assist providers in the entire league in the recently concluded Bundesliga season. Erling Haaland may have failed to score both in that game and in the most recent test against Morocco. But that will not necessarily remain the case in the group matches against France, Senegal and Iraq.

Photo: IMAGO

Duo with BVB ties are key figures for Norway

The first test on American soil, and at the same time the last before the start of the World Cup, did not go quite as successfully for Norway as the previous months had. However, they had chosen the reigning African champions Morocco as their sparring partner, a team that had also stormed all the way to the semi-finals at the last World Cup in Qatar in 2022. In the end, Morocco finished 4th at that World Cup – the best finish ever by an African team.

At Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey, the Moroccans took the lead as early as the 8th minute yesterday. That lead remained intact until half-time. But it was then supposed to be defended by an almost completely different team, as Morocco made no fewer than nine substitutions. The Norwegians did not make a similarly large-scale change until the 72nd minute, and it promptly led to the equalizer. Ødegaard scored in the 75th minute to make it 1–1, which was also the final score in this last test.

Only two players were spared from the many substitutions: Lysaker Heggem and Julian Ryerson of Borussia Dortmund. In doing so, Norway coach Stale Solbakken underlined just how important a role he sees for Julian Ryerson in his World Cup team. Whether Ryerson, Erling Haaland and the entire Norwegian team can live up to the heightened expectations remains to be seen from Tuesday, June 16. That is when the current and former Dortmund players will begin their 2026 World Cup campaign with a clash against Iraq.

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