Norwegian national team coach Stale Solbakken said that tears of emotion accompanied his country's qualification for the 2026 World Cup after defeating Italy 4-1 in the final match of Group I of the 2026 World Cup European Qualifiers in Milan, Monday (17/11) early morning WIB.
"I kept pushing the team to perform at their best. It was incredible to see Are Hokstad (Norwegian national team manager) crying on the bench just minutes before the end of the match. That was the highlight," Solbakken said, as quoted on the official website of the Norwegian Football Association (NFA) in Jakarta on Monday.
The 57-year-old tactician could not hide his pride and happiness for the players and support staff.
Solbakken emphasized that Norway's success in qualifying for the 2026 World Cup was due to the hard work of everyone on the team, from the coaches and players to the support staff. Therefore, this achievement means a lot to Solbakken personally.
"Of course, this means a lot to me. When you have a big responsibility, you have to work around the clock. Only now can I relax and start thinking a little about what awaits us in the next matches (early 2026), including the Nations League," said the coach, who previously managed FC Copenhagen from 2013 to 2020.