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This article is part of the Guardian’s Euro 2025 Experts’ Network, a cooperation between some of the best media organisations from the 16 countries who qualified. theguardian.com is running previews from two teams each day in the run-up to the tournament kicking off on 2 July.
Overview
Norway arrive in Switzerland hoping to show their true potential and improving on the past two major tournaments, which were huge disappointments and remembered for two things. At Euro 2022 Norway lost 8-0 to England and exited at the group stage while at the World Cup a year later the Barcelona star Caroline Graham Hansen was benched for the second game and came out swinging towards the coaching staff after the final whistle. They made it out of the group but lost meekly to Japan 3-1 in the last 16.
It is a new start in many ways for this team: there is a new head coach, the Englishwoman Gemma Grainger, and she has implemented a new formation. More important, perhaps, she began in February 2024 to build a new, more harmonious culture. A year later she gave the captain’s armband to Ada Stolsmo Hegerberg, who is extremely motivated to lead Norway to success this summer.
“It’s been a long journey with the national team for me,” Hegerberg said when she was appointed the team’s new leader, replacing Maren Mjelde. “Standing here and getting that trust from Gemma is a great feeling.”
However, while spirits are high and the group seem to be working better together, they have struggled to find any rhythm on the pitch, especially going forward. In their six Nations League matches this campaign they scored only four goals and won only two of the games. Grainger is unconcerned, though. “It doesn’t worry me. It’s about winning matches and that’s what we’ve done,” she said after the 1-0 win against Switzerland that ended their campaign.
It has been an awkward spring for Grainger with injuries hampering her selections. Most of them seem to have cleared in time for the tournament, though, with only the first-choice centre-backs, Mathilde Harviken and Guro Bergsvand, fitness doubts.
The coach
Gemma Grainger got off to a flying start with two wins and a combined scoreline of 8-0 against Croatia in the Nations League playoffs last year. The 42-year-old from Middlesbrough is a self-proclaimed football fanatic and most of her waking hours are spent watching or thinking about football. She’s already been a football coach for more than two decades; since the age of 19 Grainger has devoted herself to the occupation, with Silva Neid, the former Germany international and national-team head coach, as her idol. “She is the most successful female coach in history and has truly influenced how I am as a coach today,” she has said.
Star player
If Caroline Graham Hansen, technically brilliant and an artist on the pitch, can find her best form at the Euros, the vice-captain can take Norway a long, long way. At Barcelona she is usually seen on the right wing combining with Aitana Bonmatí, but for Norway she has more of a free role, finding space behind Ada Hegerberg. Last year the 30-year-old finally got the recognition she deserves, finishing second in the Ballon d’Or, being included in the Fifa Best team and winning Norway’s Kniksen award.
One to watch
The way she has been playing this year, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Signe Gaupset took the Euros by storm. At the age of 20, she has utterly dominated the Norwegian Toppserien. The talented Molde native has a mature style of play and is adept at both defending and attacking, proving her worth every time she has been given the chance by Gemma Grainger. Despite interest from a lot of clubs abroad this winter, Gaupset extended her contract with Brann until the summer of 2027. It will be interesting to see how long they can hold on to her.
Probable lineup
Status of domestic top-flight
More than 73,000 women and girls are registered as football players in Norway and it is the most popular sport for women in the country. Media coverage is on the rise and the rights holder TV 2 has full coverage of all 27 rounds of Toppserien this season. The league is still semi-professional with teams such as Vålerenga, Brann, Rosenborg and LSK Kvinner dominating both on and off the pitch. Encouragingly clubs in Norway’s second tier are increasing their financial support for their women’s team and are on the rise.
Realistic aim in Switzerland
They will aim to win their group – and should do so. If they avoid Spain in the quarter-finals we could see Norway in a European semi for the first time in 12 years.
The Norway team guide was written by Christina Paulos Syversen for TV 2 Norge.
