Northern Ireland v Norway

MIDFIELDERS

PATRICK BERG BODO/GLIMT

SANDER BERGE SHEFFIELD UNITED

IVER FOSSUM AAB (AALBORG)

Age Caps 0 Goals 0

22

Age Caps

24 14

Age Caps

22 20

Goals 1

Goals 1

Has earned a call-up to the senior squad from Lagerback for the first time having been a pivotal part of the Bodo/Glimt side that have this year taken the domestic league by storm. Central midfielder Berg has plenty of youth experience at international level having represented Norway from Under-15 to Under-19 level.

Now plays his club football in Norway after three years in Germany with Hannover. A regular with his country's youth teams, Fossum debuted for the senior side against Portugal four years ago and scored his first goal in a 4-0 thrashing of the Faroe Islands in November 2019.

Joined Sheffield United in January of this year when the Premier League club made the tall midfielder their record signing. Played six times in last season's Champions League for Belgian side Genk and opened his international account with a goal against Malta a year ago.

MARKUS HENRIKSEN UNATTACHED

STEFAN JOHANSEN FULHAM

FREDRIK MIDTSJO AZ ALKMAAR

Age Caps

28 54

Age Caps

29 53

Age Caps 4 Goals 0

27

Goals 3

Goals 6

Midtsjo won his maiden cap in 2016 but had to wait two years for a second and his first appearance in a competitive international came as a late substitute against the Faroe Islands in last June's Euro 2020 qualifier. He is a regular with AZ having joined from Rosenborg in 2017.

Henriksen was previously the captain of Hull City but was released by the Tigers at the end of last season, having spent time on loan with Bristol City. Scored his first European goal for Rosenborg in 2010 against Linfield. Brought up 50 caps in 2019 and was a regular in the Euro 2020 qualifiers.

A key central midfielder in the Fulham teams that won promotion to the Premier League in 2018 and 2020. Johansen, a regular for his country since 2013, was made Norway captain in 2017 and he played in both of his nation's World Cup 2018 qualifiers against Northern Ireland.

MATHIAS NORMANN ROSTOV

MORTEN THORSBY SAMPDORIA

MARTIN ODEGAARD REAL MADRID

Age Caps 2 Goals 0

24

Age Caps 1 Goals 0

24

Age Caps

21 22

Goals 1

First appeared in the senior team a year ago after impressing in the Russian top flight. Provided three assists in each of the previous two league campaigns for Rostov. Prior to moving to Russia Normann spent 18 months with Brighton and Hove Albion but never played for the Seagulls' first team.

The golden boy of Norwegian football, Odegaard won his first senior cap as a 15-year-old. He joined Real Madrid at 16 and made his debut at that age, replacing Cristiano Ronaldo in a La Liga game. Has impressed during loan spells with Heerenveen, Vitesse and Real Sociedad over the past three seasons.

Thorsby won his first senior cap in 2017 but then moved back down to the Under-21s. He made 24 appearances for Sampdoria in Serie A last season, scoring once in a 2-1 loss to Inter Milan in June. Previously played for Dutch club Heerenveen after leaving Stabaek in 2014.

STRIKERS

MOHAMED ELYOUNOUSSI CELTIC

ERLING BRAUT HAALAND BORUSSIA DORTMUND

JOSHUA KING BOURNEMOUTH

ALEXANDER SORLOTH TRABZONSPOR

Age Caps

26 24

Age Caps 2 Goals 0

20

Age Caps 46 Goals 17 28

Age Caps

24 22

Goals 5

Goals 6

Recently returned for a second loan spell at Celtic Park after scoring seven goals in 20 appearances last term. A prolific goalscorer with Molde and Basel prior to joining current parent club Southampton, Elyounoussi scored a hat-trick in his country's 8-0 win over San Marino in 2017. (on loan from Southampton)

Ex-Manchester City midfielder Alf-Inge Haaland's son. The Leeds-born striker played twice in Northern Ireland for Norway Under-15s in 2015. Haaland did not score then but netted nine times in a 12-0 win over Honduras at the 2019 Under-20 World Cup. Made his senior international debut a year ago and scored 10 goals in last season's Champions League.

A former Manchester United academy prospect, King scored four times in United’s triumphant 2008 Milk Cup campaign on Northern Ireland’s North Coast. Only Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has scored more Premier League goals among Norwegians. Won his first senior cap in 2012 and was his country's top scorer in the Euro 2020 qualifiers with five goals.

Sorloth finished last season as the Turkish Super Lig's top scorer having netted 24 times for Trabzonspor, whom he joined on a 24-month loan deal from Crystal Palace in 2019. The big striker has also played club football in Norway, Netherlands and Denmark and scored four times in the Euro 2020 qualifiers. (on loan from Crystal Palace)

33

www.irishfa.com