Norway, a country with a population similar to Scotland, has become a football powerhouse at the World Cup, and their success extends beyond star players Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard. Of their 26-man World Cup squad, 17 play in Europe's top four leagues, with the majority having been mentored in Norway's National Team School (NTS), established in 2013. While both Norway and Scotland spent 28 years away from the World Cup after 1998, Norway will face England in a quarter-final after beating the Ivory Coast and Brazil. Hakon Grottland, head of player development at the Norwegian Football Federation, attributes the nation's transformation to two main factors: investment in artificial pitches between 2000 and 2010, and a coaching revolution sparked by the NTS. Since 2000, Norway has built hundreds of artificial pitches, turning football from a summer sport into a year-round activity. This has led to a more technical style of play, epitomized by Odegaard, moving away from the defensive style of the 1990s. Norway's wealth, derived from significant oil reserves, and a unique funding model for sport also play a role. The state-owned gambling operator Norsk Tipping donates 64% of its proceeds to sporting purposes, generating over 2bn Norwegian kroner (£152.7m) for sports facilities in 2026. Grottland noted that while the artificial pitches and influences have improved technical play, the system may now be producing too few defenders.
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