Solbakken rests Haaland for Norway's World Cup group decider against France

Erling Haaland will not start Norway’s World Cup Group I finale against France at Boston Stadium on Friday, with coach Ståle Solbakken making 10 changes to his lineup as he prioritises squad fitness over seeding.

Norway have already secured their place in the round of 32 after back-to-back wins, and France arrive in the same position, meaning both sides have already advanced. Solbakken’s decision to rest his star striker signals that keeping key players healthy ahead of the knockout stage matters more to him than finishing top of the group.

Haaland has been in devastating form at the tournament, scoring braces against Iraq in Norway’s opener and again against Senegal on Monday to take his tally to four goals in two appearances. That haul places him third in the Golden Boot standings, behind only Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi.

The 24-year-old has now scored in 12 consecutive competitive appearances for Norway and has found the net in 18 of his last 21 competitive international games. His two-goal performances in each of Norway’s opening fixtures made him only the sixth player in World Cup history to score more than once in each of his first two appearances at the tournament — and only the second to do so in the past 50 years, following Harry Kane in 2018.

Norway’s record when Haaland scores underlines just how central he is to Solbakken’s side. The Norwegians have won all 15 matches in which he has found the net, and remain unbeaten across all 17 games in which he has scored twice or more, with no draws and no defeats.

With both nations already through, Friday’s match will determine which side enters the round of 32 as group winners — though Solbakken has made clear that distinction is secondary to arriving in the knockout rounds with a fully fit squad.