England v Norway: Ten Facts
Saturday, 26 May, 2012
Ahead of the game in Oslo here are ten facts on England v Norway encounters
1. England haven’t played Norway for 17 years. We drew a friendly in Oslo 0-0 in 1995.
2. Norway haven’t played in England since a 0-0 draw in a Wembley friendly in 1994.
3. England have failed to score in their last three matches against Norway.
4. England haven’t beaten Norway for 32 years. Liverpool’s Terry McDermott scored twice in a 4-0 Wembley win in a World Cup Qualifier.
5. When England last won in Norway, in a pre-World Cup friendly in 1966, Jimmy Greaves scored four in a 6-1 victory.
6. Bobby Moore also scored in that match – one of only two goals in his 108-cap England career. The other one came against Poland at Goodison Park in January 1966.
7. England and Norway have met ten times. The series began in 1937, England winning 6-0 in Oslo. Stoke City’s Freddie Steele scored twice.
8. In the first-ever home match against the Norwegians, England won 4-0 at St James’ Park, Newcastle in 1938. Reg Smith, the Millwall winger whose surname was originally ‘Schmidt’, notched the opener.
9. In the mid-1990s Norway were ranked second in the FIFA World Rankings.
10. Norway have played Brazil four times and never lost.