Buoyed by the return to international football of former Ballon d’Or winner Ada Hegerberg, Norway will be hoping to spring a surprise and claim a third Women’s European Championship crown this summer.
England fans will not have to wait long to see them in action as Norway meet the Lionesses midway through the group stage.
Here’s a look at their chances...
Tournament record
Best finish: Winners (1987, 1993)
Twice champions and four-time beaten finalists, Norway have long been perennial contenders with their disastrous group-stage exit at Euro 2017 only the second time since 1987 that they had failed to reach at least the semi-finals.
Norway also won the World Cup in 1995 and Olympic gold in 2000, but have not lived up to their continental standards on a global stage over the past decade.
The coach: Martin Sjogren
Swedish coach Sjorgren won the top flight in his homeland in 2016 with Linkoping before being offered the Norwegian national team job.
He survived a dreadful tournament at Euro 2017, where Norway finished bottom of their group after losing all three matches, and now leads the side into this edition as dark horses.
Key player: Caroline Graham Hansen
All eyes will be on Ada Hegerberg at her first major tournament in five years, but teammate Graham Hansen will be just as crucial to Norway’s hopes.
Considered one of the best players on the planet, the winger has been a crucial part of the Barcelona side that has dominated Spanish football in recent years, winning last season’s Champions League before losing this year’s final to Hegerberg’s Lyon.
Form
If the Algarve Cup was supposed to offer a decent measure of Norway’s form then the results were worrying as they lost to Italy and Portugal before gaining revenge over the latter in the third-place play-off.
However, that tournament came before Hegerberg’s return to the side, which she marked with a hat-trick in a thumping win over Kosovo in April.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Guro Pettersen (Valerenga), Sunniva Skoglund (Stabaek), Aurora Mikalsen (Brann).
Defenders: Tuva Hansen (Brann), Maren Mjelde (Chelsea), Anja Sonstevold (Inter), Julie Blakstad (Manchester City), Maria Thorisdottir (Manchester United), Synne Skinnes Hansen (Rosenborg), Guro Bergsvand (Brann).
Midfielders: Vilde Boe Risa (Manchester United), Amalie Eikeland (Reading), Ingrid Syrstad Engen (Barcelona), Frida Maanum (Arsenal), Elisabeth Terland (Brann), Guro Reiten (Chelsea), Thea Bjelde (Valerenga).
Forwards: Anna Langas Josendal (Rosenborg), Karina Saevik (Avaldsnes), Sophie Roman Haug (Roma), Celin Bizet Ildhusoy (PSG), Caroline Graham Hansen (Barcelona), Ada Hegerberg (Lyon).
Group stage fixtures
- July 7 - Northern Ireland (St. Mary’s - 8pm)
- July 11 - England (Amex Stadium - 8pm)
- July 15 - Austria (Amex Stadium - 8pm)
