By Catherine MacKenzie (17/6/25)
Above: Norway celebrate qualifying for WEURO2025. Photo: nff_info on X.
Whilst in recent years headlines in European women’s football have been dominated by countries further south, the Nordic countries have a rich history in the sport.
Norway were one of the earliest countries in Europe to establish a national football establishment-led league for women; the Toppserien was established in 1984. This led to a period of dominance wherein the national side, nicknamed the Grasshoppers won the World Cup (1995), two European Championship titles (1987, 1993), Olympic gold (2000), and Olympic bronze (1996).
There has been a decline since the early 2000s with a series of unpopular managerial appointments and the emergence of other nations in Europe.
In October 2017, the Norwegian Football Association ensured parity in salaries for its male and female national teams, a move that increased the remuneration for female players by almost 50%. This was due in large part to the protests of Ada Hegerberg, who refused to represent the national team over their treatment of the women’s team – she only returned in 2022.
Norway are currently ranked 15th in the FIFA world rankings and will be hoping to improve on their recent record in the competition.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Cecilie Fiskerstrand (Fiorentina), Selma Panengstuen (Brann), Aurora Mikalsen (Köln).
Defenders: Marit Bratberg Lund (Benfica), Tuva Hansen (Bayern Munich), Guro Bergsvand (Brighton and Hove Albion), Maren Mjelde (Everton), Emilie Woldvik (Rosengård), Mathilde Harviken (Juventus), Thea Bjelde (Vålerenga).
Midfielders: Ingrid Engen (Barcelona), Vilde Bøe Risa (Atletico Madrid), Justine Kielland (Wolfsburg), Frida Maanum (Arsenal), Signe Gaupset (Brann), Lisa Naalsund (Manchester United), Guro Reiten (Chelsea).
Forwards: Karina Sævik (Vålerenga), Caroline Graham Hansen (Barcelona), Ada Hegerberg (Olympique Lyonnais), Elisabeth Terland (Manchester United), Synne Jensen (Atletico Madrid), Celin Bizet (Manchester United).
Head Coach
Gemma Grainger has been Norway’s head coach since January 2024, following a stint with the Wales national team. She has experience at club level, leading Leeds United and Middlesbrough before joining the England youth setup, where she led the England U-17 team to the 2019 UEFA Women’s Under-17 Championship.
Under her leadership, Wales almost qualified for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, only missing out after a last-minute defeat to Switzerland in the playoff final. Her tenure also saw a record attendance for a women’s international match in Wales, with over 15,000 fans attending a home World Cup qualifier. Grainger achieved her UEFA Pro licence in 2016 and has managed 18 games for Norway so far, with a 50%-win percentage.
Euros history
Once a European powerhouse, Norway won two Euro titles, in 1987 and 1993. In the 2017 Euros, they were placed in a relatively straightforward group alongside hosts Netherlands, Denmark, and Belgium. Norway were expected to progress to the knockout stages, however lost every game without scoring a single goal in the competition. In the 2022 tournament, they again failed to progress from the group stage; however, they fared slightly better than in 2017, winning one game – against Northern Ireland 4-1.
How they qualified
Norway had a tough qualifying group with the Netherlands, Finland, and Italy. They finished a narrow third behind Italy and the Netherlands, taking the competition for the second automatic qualification spot down to the final game. They led the Netherlands for most of their second game, and if the lead had been sustained, they would have clinched second. However, their efforts were hampered by Vivianne Miedema returning from injury – the Dutch forward scored in the 80th minute to bring the scoreline level and ensure qualification for Oranje.
The Grasshoppers therefore needed to go through the playoffs to achieve qualification. They brushed aside Northern Ireland by an aggregate score of 7-0, and Albania 14-0 to secure their spot in the competition.
Strengths
The biggest strength for Norway is in its attacking power. Between Ada Hegerberg, Caroline Graham Hansen, Guro Reiten, Frida Maanum, Celin Bizet, and Elisabeth Terland, they boast a wealth of attacking talent. They also have a solid mix of experienced and younger talent, with the ‘spine’ of the team including Bayern Munich’s Tuva Hansen and Barcelona’s Ingrid Engen, combined with newer talents like Rosenborg’s 23-year-old defender Mathilde Harviken.
Development areas
Although Norway boasts impressive attacking talent, their defence has been a persistent weakness, particularly in recent major tournaments, conceding soft goals and lacking concentration at times. The back line occasionally seems vulnerable under pressure, particularly against fast, high-pressing opponents (as seen in the 8-0 loss to England during the 2022 Euros), with issues such as poor marking, slow recovery, and communication breakdowns frequently undermining their solid attack.
This has improved under Grainger, however, as the Grasshoppers went through all four Euro qualification playoffs without conceding (winning by an aggregate of 21-0), and only conceding four in their six qualification group games.
Key players
The first name on the team sheet will be captain Ada Hegerberg. Widely regarded as one of the best players in the world, the forward plays for Olympique Lyonnais in the French Premiere Ligue. In the 2024/25 season, she scored five goals in fifteen matches, scoring every 85 minutes on average.
Arsenal’s Frida Maanum is another key player, starting all six Nations League games. The attacking midfielder had 2.7 shots per game in the Nations League, equal to England’s Lauren James and more than Germany’s Klara Buhl.
No discussion of Norway’s major talents would be complete without mentioning Caroline Graham Hansen – the Barcelona winger who had five goal involvements in nine Champions League games this season. In the league, the winger has 21 goal involvements in 22 games and has frequently been tipped to receive a Ballon d’Or.
One to watch
Manchester United’s Celin Bizet. Although versatile enough to play all over the front line, she has primarily been deployed for United on the right wing. Bizet provided six assists in 22 WSL games in 2024-25, mostly for her compatriot Elisabeth Terland. That the duo developed a creative relationship at United may be a benefit for Norway – both have been in fine form this WSL season.
The 23-year-old Bizet has developed rapidly since her days playing in Norway’s Toppserien, following periods at Paris St-Germain and Tottenham Hotspur. Technically gifted, she is at her best when she is given the space to run down the wing, dribbling past defenders with skill and precision. She is also unafraid to get stuck in defensively, tracking back to help United secure one of the best defensive records in the division.
Bizet has started to become a more consistent member of Norway’s starting lineup, starting the last two games (against Iceland and Switzerland) on the wing behind Ada Hegerberg. This suggests that Bizet might be in Grainger’s plans for this summer’s Euros, and the signs are there for her to be a standout member of the team.
Success would be:
Reaching the knockout rounds for the first time since 2013.
Prediction:
Norway are likely favourites to win their group, and should reach the quarterfinals – how they fare there will depend on who they meet.
Group fixtures:
2nd July – Switzerland, 9pm, St. Jakob‑Park, Basel.
6th July – Finland, 6pm Stade de Tourbillon, Sion.
10th July – Iceland, 9pm, Arena Thun.
This is the second part of our Euros nation previews – click on the link below to view the previous articles:
SWITZERLAND – https://impetusfootball.org/2025/06/16/euros-preview-switzerland-2/
Follow Impetus on social media –
Twitter (X): @impetusfootball TikTok: @impetusfootball
Instagram: @impetusfootball
impetusfootball.org 