Why Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard did not play for Norway against France | OneFootball

Stale Solbakken dropped top goalscorer and captain for last group stage outing

Ousmane Dembele scored a hat-trick as a heavily-rotated Norway were trounced 4-1 in this, their final World Cup group stage match.

Solbakken’s men had already qualified for the round of 32, though, and will face the Ivory Coast after finishing second in Group I.

Haaland and Odegaard, Norway’s top goalscorer and captain, respectively, were among ten men dropped between Norway’s penultimate group stage match against Senegal and this one, and Solbakken said it did not take much consideration for him to rest his two stars, with sights already trained on Les Elephants.

Martin Odegaard played no part against France

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“They all said it would be difficult for many of them (to play so soon after facing Senegal), and if some of the players who had played Senegal wouldn’t have been able to play and practice going forward, then the only consideration is taking fans in Norway and here into consideration.

“They would have wanted to see Erling and Martin but we are here to proceed as long as we can.

Norway had just three rest days between their 3-2 victory over Senegal, in which Haaland scored a brace, and Friday’s meeting with France.

Solbakken continued, saying he might have considered throwing Odegaard and Haaland into the fray against France in the second half, had Norway been in contention for a surprise win.

“It would have had to be after the last hydration break, if there were a situation where we might have reached our goal.”

Norway were already trailing 3-1 at that stage, though, and the pair remained on the bench.