Ståle Solbakken remained firm in defending his coaching choice against France. The Norwegian coach fielded a B team and left Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard on the bench during the 90 minutes of the group stage match, which ended in a 1-4 defeat, a decision that earned him intense criticism.
"I would do it every day of the week again. We don't need to spend any more time on it", said the Norwegian, explaining that the priority was to manage the wear and tear for the 2026 World Cup round of 32, already guaranteed before the duel with the Gauls. Solbakken made ten changes to the starting eleven with the aim of saving the main elements for the knockout game against Ivory Coast.
According to the coach, there was only one previously defined scenario in which Haaland and Ødegaard would be introduced: "From the last hydration break, in the middle of the second half. If the game was within our reach, they would enter. They knew that and it was agreed beforehand."
Asked if the decision took into account a possible more favorable path in the tournament — avoiding, for example, a cross between Sweden and Germany and preferring Ivory Coast and, possibly, Brazil —, Solbakken rejected this reading: "It's very difficult to say. Imagine a Norway-Sweden and Germany at its best against Brazil at its best... it's impossible to predict."
The coach stressed that Norway always plays to win, regardless of the opponent. "We prepared for the scenario in which we would have to beat France to win the group. But there were four or five players who would never be able to play 90 minutes at that rate. I had a hard time believing that another solution would be better than the ones who played today. Still, we had a plan for the end of the game, if the result allowed it."
Solbakken acknowledged some discomfort with the failure of fans who traveled to Boston hoping to see Haaland and Ødegaard face Kylian Mbappé. "It's the only thing that gives me a little feeling of guilt. The fans, in Norway and here, wanted to see Erling, Martin and other stars. But we're here to go as far as possible. We've already given them some victories and, therefore, more games to watch. That's the beautiful thing about a World Cup. We can't be the naive country that just comes to participate. I have to make the decisions that I believe will take us further."
On Swedish television, analyst Jens Fjellström supported the strategy: "He is a stubborn coach, who does what he believes is best for the team, regardless of what others think. By resting the starters, they are all fresh for the knockout stage and he also gains a few more days of training with his best eleven. That is valuable."
Norway face Ivory Coast on Tuesday, in Dallas, in the round of 32. If they win, the Scandinavians will reach the round of 16 of a World Cup for the first time since 1998.