Erling Haaland will start Norway’s final Group I game on the bench. Coach Ståle Solbakken made 10 changes to the lineup for the match against France. That means fans won’t get the Haaland vs. Kylian Mbappe showdown everyone wanted to see.
Solbakken is basically waving the white flag on winning the group. The only starter who kept his spot from the last game is goalkeeper Orjan Nyland. Big names like Julian Ryerson, Antonio Nusa, and Martin Ødegaard are all watching from the sideline alongside Haaland.
France isn’t returning the favor. Their lineup is almost full strength. Mbappe starts. So does reigning Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele and Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise. They’re all up front together.
What this means for Norway’s path
Whoever wins Group I gets a softer road to the quarterfinals. The group winner likely faces Sweden first, then probably the winner of Germany versus Paraguay. The second-place team draws Ivory Coast in the Round of 32. After that? The winner of Brazil vs. Japan. Not ideal.
And let’s be honest, Norway probably just locked up second place by benching their best player. Maybe worse.
The Golden Boot race takes a hit too. Haaland has four goals so far. That’s one behind Lionel Messi, who leads the tournament. It’s also tied with Mbappe and Vinicius Junior, but Vinicius has played one more game. Sitting Haaland makes it a lot harder for him to catch up or pull ahead.
Could Haaland still play?
There’s a chance he sees the field. If the game stays close into the second half, Solbakken might cave and throw his superstar on. But the message is clear right now: Norway is prioritizing rest over results.
Fans online were not thrilled. A lot of them booked tickets specifically to see Haaland and Mbappe on the same pitch. Instead they get a rotated Norway squad against a French team that looks ready to put on a show.
France knows what’s at stake. They want that top seed. And with Norway basically conceding, they should get it.
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