Norway is not a big football nation. Its national team has qualified for the FIFA World Cup tournament 18 times and reached the knockout rounds three times. However, the same men’s national football team hasn’t qualified for the tournament since 1998.
All in all, Norway has produced some big names like Erling Haaland, who plays for Manchester City. He won the 2022-23 Premier League Golden Boot after netting 36 goals in the English Premier League. Norway has also produced great midfielders like Martin Ødegaard, who plays for Arsenal.
Norway has been shipping its great players to different countries like Italy, Germany, Spain and England. Serie A is the top league in Italy and is also regarded as one of the most competitive in Europe. This article will list some of the best Norwegian football players in Serie A.
Norwegian Players in Italian Football
Italy has imported various players from Norway into its top leagues. Serie A is the most prestigious league in Italy, followed by Serie B and Serie C, respectively. As of this writing, there are 2 Norwegian players in Serie C, 4 in Serie B, and 3 in Serie A.
- Serie C: Palumbo (Juventus II) and J. Kristoffersen (Pro Sesto)
- Serie B: Ceïde (Sassuolo), K. Thorstvedt (Sassuolo), D. Johnsen (Cremonese), and E. Bohinen (Salernitana)
Østigård
Leo Østigård made 25 appearances for Napoli in the 2023-24 season, accumulating 1,620 minutes of playtime. He was among the starting 11 in 18 of those matches. The 24-year-old defender also entered as a substitute for 7 times across Napoli’s 38 fixtures.
The last appearance that Leo Østigård played for Napoli was on May 26, 2024, as they faced Leece, a game that ended 0-0. He has netted one goal this season and booked three times. He scored one goal when Napoli thrashed Leece 4-0 in September 2023. Leo Østigård made seven Serie A appearances for Napoli in the 2023-24 season.
He played for Brighton & Hove Albion before joining Napoli in 2022. However, he didn’t make any league appearances on either of the teams. Leo Østigård has also played for Genoa on loan where he played his Serie A as they faced Spezia in January 2022.
Thorsby
Morten Thorsby is a 28-year-old Norwegian midfielder who plays for Genoa. He played for 1,144 minutes in 24 appearances in the 2023-2024 season. Out of the 38 fixtures, Thorsby started for Genoa on nine occasions and came in as a substitute on 15 appearances. The last Serie A appearance he made for Genoa was when they played Bologna on May 24th, and he played the entire game.
Thorsby had two assists in the 2023-24 season and scored two Serie A goals. His first Serie A goal of the season was against Roma, which Genoa won 4-1. His 17th-minute goal against Cagliari was also crucial in their 3-0 win.
Thorsby played for Sampdoria and Union Berlin, both Italian clubs, before joining Genoa. His debut Serie A match was when Sampdoria faced SPAL in 2019. So far, he has 116 games, five assists, and nine goals in his Serie A career.
Solbakken
Ola Solbakken is a 25-year-old midfielder who made 14 Serie A appearances for Roma in the 2022-23 season. He provided two assists and scored two goals during that season. He played one game in the 2023-24 season, playing 22 minutes when Roma was defeated by Hellas Verona 2-1. Ola Solbakken came in as a substitute in that game.
We can only wait and see if Ola Solbakken will play in the next league match as Roma faces Empoli on 25th August 2024 and what the betting odds will be for each team. Bookmakers are already in the favour of Roma based on the previous performances. If you want to wager on your favorite team in this competition, you can find more information on svindel.info on the best online betting sites.
Ola Solbakken’s Serie A debut was on January 15, 2023, when he was 24, as Roma faced Fiorentina. Solbakken made 63 league appearances for Bodø / Glimt in Norway before joining Roma in January 2023. He scored 13 goals and provided 15 assists while in this team.
What About The Women?
Women’s football is successful mainly in the northern parts of Italy. The Serie A women’s league has 10 teams, but only 3 clubs come from the cities south of Florence. Four Norwegian women are listed among Serie A players.
Mina Schaathun Bergersen
Mina is a 21-year-old Norwegian female football player who plays for Como. She joined Coma on loan from Roma. She scored on her Roma debut match in January 2022. Mina is still to make a debut in the Norwegian National Football Team.
Tomter Andrine
Andrine Tomter is a 29-year-old Norwegian defender who plays for Inter. She started pursuing her football career dream while still young, playing for Norwegian local teams like Drøbak-Frogn before joining Kolbotn at age 13.
Her debut international match was when Norway faced Spain in a friendly game in 2014. She missed the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup due to a knee injury. Even though she is an experienced player, she hasn’t played in the National Football Team since 2017.
Sonstevold Anja
Anja Sønstevold is a 32-year-old Norwegian footballer who plays for Roma. She started her professional career in Norway, where she played for SF Grei and Linderud/Grei. She had a four-year stint at Kolbotn from 2010, scoring 10 goals in her 113 appearances.
She started her international career on the U-17 team. She also participated in the 2009 UEFA Women’s Under-17 Championship, where Norway finished fourth. She played during the 2010 UEFA Women’s Under-17 Championship and the 2011 UEFA Women’s Under-19 Championship. Anja Sønstevold now plays for the National Football Team.
Haavi Emilie
Emilie Bosshard Haavi is a 32-year-old attacking midfielder for Roma. She started her professional career as she was playing for Roa for four years in 2008 in the Norwegian top league, Toppserien.
She also played for the Boston Breakers in 2016 for 10 months before returning to Norway. Haavi Emilie joined Roma in 2021. She is also part of the National Football Team
Norway has shipped several male footballers to Serie A, such as Østigård, who plays for Napoli, Thorsby for Genoa, and Ola Solbakken for Roma. Four Norwegians play in Serie B, and two play in Serie C. The same country has four players in the Serie A women’s league.