Oslo’s Ullevaal Stadion hosts the standout meeting in Nations League A Group 4, with Norway welcoming Portugal and placing Erling Haaland opposite Cristiano Ronaldo. It is a meeting of each country’s record international scorer: Haaland arrives with 64 goals from 56 Norway appearances, while Ronaldo has scored 146 times in 234 matches for Portugal.
The news from the club
Haaland, 26, began Norway’s Nations League campaign in sharp form, scoring twice in Thursday’s 3-2 victory over Denmark. Ronaldo, now 41, had a goal ruled out in Portugal’s 1-0 win against Wales, though João Félix’s finish gave the reigning Nations League holders victory in Jorge Jesus’s first match in charge after Roberto Martínez.
The Portugal captain is also closing in on another personal landmark. He has 21 goals remaining before reaching 1,000 across his senior career.
Jesus described Haaland as perhaps the world’s leading centre-forward, pointing to the Norwegian’s technical ability, physical power and unusual capacity to score headers without needing to leap. Portugal will lean on Rúben Dias, Haaland’s Manchester City teammate, for insight into how to contain him.
Bruno Fernandes remains Portugal’s principal fitness concern after featuring against Wales despite a problem carried over from Manchester United. Jesus said he would rather avoid taking a chance with the midfielder and have him fully fit for the Denmark match on Thursday.
Nuno Mendes finished the Wales game tired but is available for selection, while João Cancelo is expected to retain his place in the starting side. Félix, Ronaldo’s teammate at Saudi club Al Nassr, is also in contention after deciding the opening match.
Selection picture in Oslo
Norway coach Ståle Solbakken must plan without left-back David Møller Wolfe, who was sent off against Denmark. The hosts nevertheless bring momentum from that opening win, led by a striker whose international scoring rate now stands at more than a goal per game.
For Portugal, the trip north offers an early examination of Jesus’s new tenure: a title-holding side, a celebrated captain still chasing history, and a defence preparing for one of Europe’s most prolific international forwards.
