Ståle Solbakken is happy he missed France, England and Serbia – but believes that anyone can beat everyone in Norway’s group: Spain, Scotland, Georgia and Cyprus are the four teams blocking a place in the European Championships play-offs in 2024.

– Here comes a message from Martin Ødegaard with a thumbs up, said Ståle Solbakken on TV 2 broadcast.

– The captain is satisfied, he said.

Ståle Solbakken is also pleased with himself:

– We avoided France, England and Serbia from pot two. The most important thing is to avoid getting into pool B or C. We have to be content with that. But we can also be luckier, said Ståle Solbakken on TV 2 broadcast.

He also believes that the team from the pot four group of Norway, Georgia, can beat all the players in the group, including Spain. He also believes about Norway.

– We can take Spain on a good day at Ullevaal – I’m very sure of that.

Two tough groups

The Netherlands and France are in Group B, while Italy and England are in Group C. Norway is in Group A.

About Spain, Ståle Solbakken said:

– If we are at our best, it is possible to beat them. But so are Scotland and Georgia.

– It’s a good group, but we avoid France and England. We have to prevent Erling Braut Haaland from getting the ball, Spain national team manager Luis Enrique told TV 2.

– Spanish favourite

– Spain is, of course, the favourite, but we have to be on a par with Scotland. It could be much worse, said national team commentator VG Knut Espen Svegaarden on VGTV.

– This is a group that could be much worse. This is a group Ståle Solbakken and crew should be able to qualify for, said Mathisen on TV 2.

– It’s a good group. Don’t underestimate Georgia. Cyprus are good too, Scotland coach Steve Clarke told TV 2.

– Scotland is a team we have to match up, said Per Joar Hansen, on VGTV.

– But there will be no easy matches anymore, the former assistant coach of the national team warns.

Norway dropped the two best teams in pot two, namely France and England.

The 2022 Football World Cup will go without the Norway national team, but Ståle Solbakken has a clear goal of taking Norway to the European Championship play-offs in Germany in 2024. That is his concrete mission. Now he must carry it out.

Norway is seeded in the third-best pot after pool wins down in the Nations League with losses to Slovenia and Serbia.

– Haaland is like Zlatan

Qualifiers are played throughout 2023. The first match takes place in March, the last in November. The best two in each of the ten groups qualify directly for EC.

Norway has qualified for the EC play-offs only once – in 2000. This was also the last time the Norway men’s national team was in a play-off, EC or WC.

– Erling Braut Haaland will be very important for us. He is our most important player together with Martin Ødegaard, said Per Joar Hansen on VGTV.

– Haaland is the same to us as Zlatan to Sweden, said Knut Espen Svegaarden.

– We have to build a team for him to succeed.

The Championships will be held in Germany from 14 June to 14 July 2024.