World ranking

3

UEFA Champs Records

Winners 1987, 1993; Runners-up 1989, 1991; Semi-finalists 1995, 2001

Euro 2005 qualification

Via play-off after finishing Group 2 runners-up

Colours

Red shirts, white shorts, red socks 

Coach

Bjarne Berntsen

Key players

Dagny Mellgren (striker), Solveig Gulbrandsen (midfielder), Bente Nordby (goalkeeper)

Website 

www.fotball.no


They were runners-up to America in the inaugural Women’s World Cup, played in 1991. Four years later they went one better by being crowned World champions, beating Germany in the Final to become the first European team to win the World Cup.

They were also the first team from Europe to win the Olympics, striking gold at the millennium games in Sydney by beating America in the Final after knocking Germany out in the semis.

At that point the Norwegians could justifiably claim to be Europe’s top women’s football nation, but their star has since lost some of its lustre despite still being ranked number three in the world behind Germany and America.

Surprisingly to many pundits they had to qualify via the play-offs for Euro 2005, Denmark having pipped them to Group 2’s top spot. But in the first leg of their play-off they trounced Iceland 7-2 then eased to a 2-1 second leg win on home soil.

That was the last competitive game under Åge Steen, the 44 year-old Head Coach who had been in charge for four years after taking over from the man who led Norway to their Olympic gold, Per Mathias Hogmo.

Steen’s replacement, Bjarne Berntsen, will be charged with the task of restoring Norway’s winning touch at major tournaments, a touch which seems to have deserted them despite the consistency of players like star striker Dagny Mellgren and the emergence of huge talents such as 23 year-old midfielder Solveig Gulbrandsen.

On a more positive note, the Norwegians beat both Germany and Sweden in friendly internationals during the latter stages of 2004.