Sabasports Match Preview
2026 World Cup UEFA Qualifier: Norway vs Italy
Kickoff Time: 2025-06-07 02:45 (HKT)
Source:REUTERS/Angelika Warmuth
Norway last participated in the final stage of a major international tournament in UEFA Euro 2000, and for the next 24 years, they failed to qualify for the final stages of any major tournaments. In recent years, Norway has seen an explosion of talent in football. Coinciding with the expansion of the FIFA World Cup in 2026, the team is full of confidence about qualifying for the World Cup finals. Looking at this month’s squad, several stars from Europe’s top five leagues are included, such as Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, Arsenal midfielder Martin Odegaard, West Ham United defensive midfielder Sander Berge, Brentford defender Kristoffer Ajer, Borussia Dortmund defender Julian Ryerson, Atletico Madrid striker Alexander Sorloth, and Fulham attacking midfielder Oscar Bobb. From recent games, it seems that head coach Stale Solbakken adjusts his tactics according to opponents’ characteristics, emphasizing a combination of ball control and counterattacks to maximize the offensive potential of Haaland and Odegaard. Haaland, as the core striker of Manchester City, has already scored many crucial goals this season, displaying remarkable explosiveness and game-changing ability. Odegaard is gradually regaining form at Arsenal, being a precise playmaker with sharp vision. Bobb also shows strong dribbling abilities, becoming an important forward force. The towering striker Sorloth, fondly called “Thor” by fans, scored 20 goals in limited playing time, showcasing incredible efficiency.
Italy won the UEFA European Championship in 2020 but missed the 2022 World Cup finals. Subsequently, the team underwent significant reforms under the bald-headed head coach Luciano Spalletti, who led Napoli to win the Serie A title in the 2022–23 season. Under Spalletti’s guidance, Italy displayed resilience and efficient teamwork again, achieving a record of eight wins, three draws, and three losses throughout 2024, earning praise from fans and media alike. From this month’s roster, Inter is the largest contributor with five players: defenders Francesco Acerbi, Alessandro Bastoni, Federico Dimarco; midfielders Nicolo Barella and Davide Frattesi. However, given that Inter just finished the Champions League final and ended the season as treble runners-up, the “Inter contingent” may still be emotionally affected by their failure, not well-prepared, and unlikely to perform at their best, possibly sitting out this match. Even worse, such negative emotions could spread to other teammates. Observing recent matches, Italy’s 3-5-2 tactical approach can be considered a textbook example of defensive counterattacks, similar to many Serie A teams. Their offensive strategy involves long balls from both wings connecting to the strikers, targeting the gaps left behind by opponents pressing forward. However, facing Norway’s physically gifted lineup, Italy’s set-piece tactics might lose some effectiveness.
Italy’s weakness lies in their frontline players all coming from Serie A, lacking height advantages and struggling to create decent combinations. In terms of mid-forward sharpness, Norway clearly outperforms Italy. On defense, Italy has kept only one clean sheet in their last 12 matches, no longer the solid defensive team familiar to fans. Faced with a Norway team that scored 18 goals in their last four matches, Italy conceding is predictable. With home support, Norway should not miss the opportunity to earn points on home turf.
Norway’s Last 5 Games：WWWWL
25-03-26 Israel 2-4 Norway
25-03-23 Moldova 0-5 Norway
24-11-18 Norway 5-0 Kazakhstan
24-11-15 Slovenia 1-4 Norway
24-10-14 Austria 5-1 Norway
Italy’s Last 5 Games：DLLWW
25-03-24 Germany 3-3 Italy
25-03-21 Italy 1-2 Germany
24-11-18 Italy 1-3 France
24-11-15 Belgium 0-1 Italy
24-10-15 Italy 4-1 Israel
Head To Head Record:
15-10-14 Italy 2-1 Norway
14-09-10 Norway 0-2 Italy
05-06-05 Norway 0-0 Italy
04-09-05 Italy 2-1 Norway
Prediction: Norway to win or Draw