Erling Haaland returned to Manchester before the end of the FIFA Date and is therefore out of Norway x New Zealand this Tuesday (10/14). The Norwegian Federation decided to release the striker and other members of the national team before the friendly. The dismissal, according to an official statement, is part of a strategy to manage the physical wear and tear of players with greater match load – and is not related to any injury.
Haaland is coming off a brilliant performance in the 5-0 rout of Israel, in which he scored three goals and reached 51 goals for Norway in 46 games. The victory, last Saturday (11/10), brought the team close to securing a place in the 2026 World Cup.
The Manchester City striker is going through a great phase, with 21 goals scored this season for both club and country. The layoff will allow him to have a few extra days of rest before resuming training under Pep Guardiola and preparing for the Premier League clash against Everton on Saturday (10/18).
In addition to Haaland, Alexander Sorloth, Julian Ryerson and Fredrik Bjorkan were also released. Felix Horn Myhre left the delegation due to ankle pain. Among those who remain with the team are Oscar Bobb, also a City player, and young Sverre Nypan, 18, recently signed by the English club and currently on loan at Middlesbrough.
MORE: See odds and predictions for Norway x New Zealand
Norway x New Zealand: technical sheet
- Friendly between national teams
- Data: October 14th, Tuesday
- Time: 9am (Brasília time)
- Where to watch: SPORTV2
Norway’s last games
- 11/10 – Norway 5×0 Israel – World Cup Qualifiers
- 09/09 – Norway 11×1 Moldova – World Cup Qualifiers
- 04/09 – Norway 1×0 Finland – World Cup Qualifiers
- 09/06 – Estonia 0×1 Norway – World Cup Qualifiers
- 06/06 – Norway 3×0 Italy – World Cup Qualifiers
MORE: The best VPNs for watching live sports
