Norway staying cool ahead of Brazil encounter
Stale Solbakken has urged his Norway team to play the match, not the circumstances in its 2026 FIFA World Cup showdown with Brazil at New York New Jersey Stadium.
This will be Norway's second knockout game of the tournament, having only played two knockout matches in major tournaments in its history before this current run.
It will come up against a nation in Brazil that has progressed from nine of its past 10 matches in the Round of 16 at the FIFA World Cup, only failing to do so in 1990 when t was beaten 1-0 by Argentina.
But Norway arrives with confidence, having beaten Cote d'Ivoire 2-1 for its first knockout victory at a FIFA World Cup thanks to Erling Haaland's 86th-minute winner.
"We need to play the match, not the circumstances. We need to make sure that we don't play according to the occasion, but that we simply play the game," Solbakken said.
Solbakken highlighted the importance of Haaland for his team should it have a chance against Brazil, with the Manchester City striker netting five goals at the tournament so far.
"I think we have found ways of supporting him and giving him the right service," the Norway boss said.
"We are a team that can't wait for Brazil because we are an offensive-minded team.
"During 90 minutes or 120 minutes against Brazil, you need to defend for longer or shorter periods, and then we have to be at our best there."
Along with highlighting the importance of Haaland to his side, Solbakken was also wary of Brazil's attacking threats, most notably Vinicius Junior.
Vinicius has four goals and one assist in four appearances at this year's FIFA World Cup.
"The left and right backs are important, but it's also about helping the wing-backs so that they are not faced in a one-to-one situation, situations where you need to stand up and do it alone," Solbakken added on how to stop the Real Madrid star.
"We also hope that our zone style of play may help, so regardless of who plays in the back positions, they will be supported by the next player."
This will be the fifth meeting between the two nations in all competitions, and second at the FIFA World Cup, after a 2-1 Norway win in 1998, and Solbakken is optimistic his team can repeat the feat, but only if it is at its very best.
"I don't think they are big, big, big favourites, which they maybe had been some years ago," Solbakken said.
"We have had a very good run for a very long time, and we have great confidence, and we have a good style of play with the ball as well, and I think that helps us.
"I think it's difficult to put a precise percentage [on our chances], if it's 60-40, or 70-30 or whatever – the important thing is that we can hurt Brazil on our day, but we still need to be our very, very best, otherwise we have no chance. But if we are at our very, very best, then we have a chance."
