The national team – This is Norway’s “EC nightmare”
On Sunday, the stage is set for the draw for the qualifying groups for the European Championship in 2024. Ståle Solbakken and his men will be in the pot, and therefore have to prepare themselves for a number of big guns.
After seeing the group win slip away in the Nations League against Serbia, Norway must come to terms with the fact that the road to the EC in Germany can quickly become significantly more difficult.
Norway played this season’s Nations League at level B. Victory in the group would give Norway a place in the pot for the European Championship qualification. That place now belongs to Serbia, who will also have an “extra opportunity” to qualify for the EC through the Nations League playoff, if they do not qualify through the usual EC qualification.
Haaland: – Must protect me
This is the nightmare
But how much more difficult can this be for Ståle Solbakken’s crew?
This is how the nations are divided into the different pots before Sunday’s draw:
Nations League Pot*: The Netherlands, Croatia, Spain, Italy
Pot 1: Denmark, Portugal, Belgium, Hungary, Switzerland, Poland
Pot 2: France, Austria, Czech Republic, England, Wales, Israel, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Scotland, Finland
Pot 3: Ukraine, Iceland, NorwaySlovenia, Ireland, Albania, Montenegro, Romania, Sweden, Armenia
Pot 4: Georgia, Hellas, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Luxemburg, Azerbaijan, Kosovo, Bulgaria, Faroe Islands, North Macedonia
Pot 5: Slovakia, Northern Ireland, Cyprus, Belarus, Lithuania, Gibraltar, Estonia, Latvia, Moldova, Malta
Pot 6: Andorra, San Marino, Liechtenstein
*) The Nations League pot consists of the four teams that won their groups at level A. These nations will automatically be drawn into qualifying groups A, B, C and D, avoiding to face the nations from pot 6, who will go into group H, I and J.
This is Norway’s «nightmare group»
This means in Norway, potentially, can end up in a group with the nations ranked second (Belgium) and fourth (France) on FIFA’s ranking of the best national teams in the world, as well as end up in a group with a nation from pot 6.
In the same group, Norway can also have a reunion with Turkey, who smashed Norway 3-0 in the World Cup qualifiers in March 2021. Slovakia is the nation in pot 5 that did the best, which can also face Norway. The same applies to Andorra in pot six.
This gives us this group:
Belgium, France, NorwayTurkey, Slovakia, Andorra.
This will mean that Erling Braut Haaland will be visited by teammate Kevin De Bruyne from Manchester City, while his “arch-rival” Kylian Mbappé will be on the other side with the French national team.
It will also mean that Norway will have to challenge the world champion from 2018, as well as the bronze winner from the same championship. I add to have to go out in more battles and the rest of the nations.
Although nations such as Belgium and France will appeal to many and all, at the same time, it is not the nations that will necessarily create the biggest public celebrations at the Ullevaal stadium.
It is, however, more appealing to look at what will both present Norway with exciting sporting challenges, and the nations that will give Norwegians reason to leave their houses to get a ticket.
England: – What is he doing?
This is Norway’s “dream group”
Although the Nations League teams are reserved for the five-team group, those from pot 1 who are drawn in groups E, F and G will have the same luxury. It is fast here that Norway wants to change.
In pot 1, Hungary (36) is ranked lowest on FIFA’s ranking and will thus be “easiest” for Norway. They did better regardless in the Nations League and what Switzerland did.
For Ståle Solbakken and Norway, it is probably worth believing that Denmark is a desirable opponent both in terms of the quality in Kasper Hjulmand’s team, but also for the Norwegian people who will have two games against the brother people in the south.
In pot 2, Israel (76) is ranked as the “worst” team, but unlike Norway, they won their Nations League group. They were still in a group with Russia, which had its results drawn.
There are probably many who see it as both challenging and could end up in the same group as Denmark and England. The English’s miserable Nations League song allows for this. This is probably what most people want to see.
If you are to think purely in terms of results from pots 4 and 5, Azerbaijan (123) and Lithuania (144) are the nations that are poorly placed in FIFA’s ranking. The latter was relegated from its Nations League group, while Azerbaijan finished ahead of, among others, Slovakia.
Norway also has experience of meeting Slovakia from March, and will present a much shorter and less tortuous journey than Azerbaijan. Thus, they are quickly a layer to be preferred.
This gives us this group:
Denmark, England, Norway, Slovakia, Lithuania
This is a group that will quickly present Norway with affordable opponents, while also four folk festivals. Among them will be trips to the Park and Wembley. The travel routes to Slovakia and Lithuania are not the worst either.