Haaland's Norway faces a desperate test against the resilient Lions of Teranga
Line-ups 🇳🇴 NOR 4-3-3 🇸🇳 SEN 4-2-3-1
Coach: Stale Solbakken
Starting XI
- 1 Ørjan Nyland G
- 26 Julian Ryerson D
- 3 Kristoffer Ajer D
- 17 Torbjørn Heggem D
- 5 David Møller Wolfe D
- 10 Martin Ødegaard M
- 8 Sander Berge M
- 14 Fredrik Aursnes M
- 7 Alexander Sørloth F
- 9 Erling Haaland F
- 20 Antonio Nusa F
Substitutes
- 16 Marcus Holmgren Pedersen D
- 6 Patrick Berg M
- 12 Sander Tangvik G
- 13 Egil Selvik G
- 4 Leo Østigård D
- 15 Fredrik André Bjørkan D
- 24 Sondre Langås D
- 25 Henrik Falchener D
- 19 Thelo Aasgaard M
- 22 Oscar Bobb M
- 21 Andreas Schjelderup F
- 18 Kristian Thorstvedt M
- 2 Morten Thorsby M
- 11 Jørgen Strand Larsen F
- 23 Jens Petter Hauge M
Coach: Bouna Thiaw Pape
Starting XI
- 16 Édouard Mendy G
- 15 Krépin Diatta D
- 3 Kalidou Koulibaly D
- 19 Moussa Niakhaté D
- 25 El Hadji Malick Diouf D
- 5 Idrissa Gueye M
- 26 Pape Gueye M
- 18 Ismaïla Sarr M
- 8 Lamine Camara M
- 10 Sadio Mané M
- 11 Nicolas Jackson F
Substitutes
- 14 Ismail Jakobs D
- 20 Ibrahim Mbaye F
- 23 Mory Diaw G
- 6 Pathé Ciss M
- 1 Yehvann Diouf G
- 2 Mamadou Sarr D
- 4 Abdoulaye Seck D
- 24 Antoine Mendy D
- 22 Bara Sapoko Ndiaye M
- 13 Iliman Ndiaye F
- 17 Pape Matar Sarr M
- 21 Habib Diarra M
- 7 Assane Diao F
- 9 Bamba Dieng F
- 12 Cherif Ndiaye F
Norway enters the MetLife spotlight with significant momentum, riding the clinical brilliance of Erling Haaland. After a perfect qualification campaign, Solbakken’s side plays with the confidence of a team hungry to prove their twenty-eight-year absence from the global stage was merely an aberration. Their tactical identity centers on high-tempo verticality, looking to unlock defenses before opponents can settle into a block.
Senegal, conversely, arrives in New Jersey reeling from a difficult tournament start and desperate for points. Pape Thiaw must rally his side to regain their defensive cohesion, which was uncharacteristically porous in their opener. With Sadio Mané serving as the primary creative catalyst, the Lions of Teranga will likely look to disrupt Norway’s rhythm through physical midfield dominance, forcing the game into a gritty, low-possession slog that stifles the Scandinavian attack.
Head to head
These two nations share no history of competitive encounters, as their paths have rarely crossed on the international stage. While Senegal has become a perennial CAF powerhouse with a rich history of upsetting giants, Norway is returning to the World Cup for the first time since 1998, hoping to prove that their current golden generation can replicate the resilience of the 1990s squad that famously shocked Brazil in Marseille.
Players to watch
His lethal positioning and physical gravity dictate how every opponent organizes their entire defensive structure.
As the heart of Senegal's attack, his ability to create moments of individual brilliance is essential to overcoming their opening match deficit.
The creative engine in midfield whose vision is the primary mechanism for feeding the Norwegian frontline.
His experience and defensive screening will be pivotal in neutralizing Norway's transition game through the middle.
Fun facts
- MetLife Stadium holds the record for the highest attendance ever for a soccer match in New Jersey history.
- Norway's qualification run was statistically dominant, scoring 37 goals while conceding only five.
- Senegal remains one of the most successful African nations in World Cup history, reaching the quarterfinals in 2002.
- The 2026 World Cup marks the first time that 48 nations are competing in the tournament finals.
- Norway’s 1998 World Cup team remains famous for their 2-1 victory over Brazil, a result that prevented them from ever losing to the Seleção.