FRANCE 98 – Team Detail

Brazil, Norway and Morocco look out – the Norwegians are coming. For so long considered the minnows of world football, for the past two years Norway have become a force to be feared – a fact made clear during qualifying for France ’98. In their eight matches Norway won six and drew two, scored 21 goals and only conceeded two.

From the start of the year they have drawn 3-3 with France and 2-2 with Belgium and this summer the former minows could prove to be the surprise of the tournament.

The Norwegian Football Federation was created on April 30, 1902 in Oslo. Norway became a member of FIFA in 1908. Norway played their first international against Sweden, their local neighbours and rivals, in Goteborg and were beaten 11-3. Sweden were also the first nation to play an international in Norway, winning 4-0. The Norwegians had to wait until June 16, 1918, for their first international, a 3-1 win over Denmark in Oslo. Norway created a surprise at the 1920 Olympics in Antwerp, beating England 3-0, but they also lost to Czechoslovakia (4-0) and Italy (2-1). At the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, the Norwegians recorded their best result in international competition, winning a bronze medal after beating Poland 3-2.

The Norwegians have qualified twice previously for the World Cup (1938 and 1994) but have never made it past the first round of the finals, giving them hope of a best-ever performance in France in 1998. Coach Egil ‘Drillo’ Olsen, who has a computer full of details about his Group rivals, is determined they will.

The majority of national team players are based in other European countries or with the country’s leading clubs — Rosenborg, Molde and Lillestrom. Rosenborg are playing in the 1997-98 European Champions League and performing impressively.