10 Greatest Norwegian Footballers In History | 2023

Who are the best Norwegian footballers? and who is the greatest Norwegian soccer player of all time?

Norway’s performances on the international scene can’t be compared to their Scandinavian neighbors Denmark and Sweden. However, the Norse country did have a golden generation in the late 1930s that achieved success at the Berlin Olympics in 1936.

Soccer in Europe is an incredibly famous sport to watch and participate in, yet the beautiful game hasn’t really birthed an unimaginable success for Norway since the advent of their involvement in the game in 1908.

Except in 1936 when they had their biggest achievement at the Olympics, where they won bronze and they’ve since then only participated in four major tournaments in the FIFA World Cup in 1938, 1994, 1998, and once in the UEFA European Championship in 2000.

While grassroots football and camaraderie are some of the keys to nurturing and producing phenomenon footballers in Norway.  The question is which of their players stands as a cult hero or legend in the history of the ‘Drillos’. Even though the men’s national team of Norway has not had much recent success, there are still a number of Norwegian footballers who have been or are among the best ever.

Best Norwegian footballers of all time

Erik Thorstvedt – (1982-1996, Caps: 97)

Arguably the greatest goalkeeper in the history of the ‘Drillos’ having played for Viking, Eik-Tonsberg, Borussia Monchengladbach, IFK Goteborg and Tottenham Hotspurs.

Thorstvedt was the first Norwegian footballer to win a trophy in Spurs’ shirt when the London side won the FA Cup in 1991, in a season that is still referred to as the best moment in the Norwegian career in England.

The ex-goalkeeper still remains one of the country’s most capped players on the international scene. One of his best moments for the country came into play at the 1994 World Cup, where he churned out a breathtaking performance. With 97 caps for Norway before a back injury made him retire in 1996.

Thorbjorn Svenssen – (1947-1962, Caps: 104)

In an era where there isn’t much clamor for a ball-playing defender as much as it is in this era, the late Svensson was a rock-solid defender who defined an era in Norway’s football history for how brilliantly he marshaled his team’s defense.

Svenssen is nicknamed “Klippen” (The Rock) for how solid he was when faced with an opponent. Until his death, the tall and lanky defender was one of his country’s most capped players with 104 caps which he earned at the age of 38 years and 24 days.

Klippen’s 22 years club career with Sandefjord didn’t produce any trophy for the tall defender, but he did play in two Norwegian cup finals where he lost both and his team finished second in the league during the 1955-56 campaign for Sandefjord.

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Morten Gamst Pedersen – (2004-2014, Caps: 83 Goals: 17)

Gamst lived his best club football career at Blackburn Rovers in the Premier League, where he played for 9 seasons with almost 300 official games and 83 for the national team gathering a total of  17 goals.

The Norwegian star was well renowned for his electrifying left foot and sublime trademark free-kick in the Premier League, which he used in setting the league alight.

His brilliant ability to often find the top corner of an opponent’s post left an indelible mark on Premier League history as a Blackburn Rovers player.

Pedersen also had stints at Karabukspor, Tromso, and Rosenberg.

Steffen Iversen – (1998-2011, Caps: 79, Goals: 21)

While Jorgen Juve’s achievements as one of Norway’s greatest goal-scorer are all but an old success in an old era. Iversen surged higher to the pinnacle of English football with Tottenham Hotspurs in the modern era despite suffering from a career-threatening injury.

Steffen was likened to his father Odd, who is also dubbed as one of the greatest strikers the country ever produced. However, his trait in front of the goal with his composure further gives credence to how much quality he inherited from his father.

Iversen was capped 79 times for the Drillos, scoring 21 goals having played in major tournaments for the national team before he called it quit with international assignments.

Henning Berg – (1992-2004, Caps: 100, Goals: 9)

Given the prevalence of being technically good as a center-back, Berg may not be one of the best the game ever saw. The Norwegian was no doubt a decent defender who was well renowned for his hard work and dedication on the pitch.

Berg’s career lasted from 1988 to 2004, winning two Premier League titles with Blackburn Rovers and Manchester United, becoming the first Norwegian footballer to win the league with two sides.

His 100 appearances and 9 goals for Norway as a defender ranked him among the best Norwegian soccer players in history.

John Carew – (1998-2011, Caps: 71, Goals: 24)

The ex-Lyon forward was one of Europe’s top finishers during the late 90s after enjoying an extremely surreal football career both for his clubs and Norway national team.

Carew was well known for his physicality and ruthlessness in front of goal for all of the clubs he donned their shirts. However, his time at Aston Villa and Lyon was known for tormenting great teams’ defenses with his lanky physique and goals.

The lanky forward scored an impressive 52 goals in 133 games for the Midland club, and 24 goals in 91 caps for Norway before he called it quit with international duty in 2011.

Tore Andre Flo – (1995-2004, Caps: 79, Goals: 23)

Before Erling Braut Haaland, there was Tore Andre Flo.

The lanky forward was very popular for his stint at Chelsea in the Premier League where he had a successful career with the London giant.

Flo is literally the best Norway player of his era representing the country in the 1998 World Cup, where he scored one of the most famous goals in his career against Brazil, and in the UEFA European Championship in 2000.

The lanky forward may not be one of the country’s most capped players, but he’s surely one of Norway’s most lethal strikers, scoring 23 goals in 76 appearances at the international stage.

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Jorgen Juve – (1928-1937, Caps: 45, Goals: 33)

Juve was a Norwegian footballer, jurist, journalist, and non-fiction writer who also had an incredible soccer career with Porsgrunn Sports Club, Lyn Oslo, and the national team before he retired.

He captained the Norwegian team that won the bronze medal at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, an international career that made him the country’s highest goal-scorer with 33 goals in 45 games for Norway.

With Juve’s goal-scoring record still standing as the country’s most lethal striker in history to date, his pivotal role in guarding the Norse country to clinch bronze at the Summer Olympics in Berlin stands him among the greatest the country ever produced.

John Arne Riise – (2000-2013, Caps: 110, Goals: 16)

The blonde-haired left back from Molde, the largest urban and commercial center of the Romsdal region left an indelible mark in the history of the game with his sublime rocket left foot, especially during his time at Liverpool.

Riise’s story is interesting in itself of how well his international and club career went for all of the teams he donned their shirts, most importantly at Liverpool where he stands as a cult hero for his instrumental role during their success story in Europe.

Riise remains the most capped Norway player with 110 appearances and 16 goals before his retirement from international duty in 2013, to fully concentrate on his whining club career.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – (1995-2007, Caps: 67, Goals: 23)

The babyface assassin, Ole, is arguably the finest footballer the Norse country produced to date.

Solskjear is well known for his pivotal role in propelling the Red Devils to success in a treble-winning season that defined United’s legendary status as one of the best football clubs in the world.

For those who didn’t witness the assassin traits of Solskjear’s brilliant goal-scoring skill sets, his cameo against Bayern Munich in the Champions League is still very fresh, where he came from the bench to put Die Roten to the sword.

Ole scored 126 goals in 366 appearances for United while he accumulated 23 goals and 67 games for Norway throughout his international career before he retired.

Special Mentions:

Erling Brut Haaland

Martin Odegaard

Conclusion

While there are a lot of Norwegian players who could still make the list, however, these rankings are based on different factors, including longevity, influence on the team, and statistical success.

FAQ

Who is the most famous Norwegian?

• Ole Gunnar Solskjær
• Leif Eriksson
• Morten Harket (A-Ha)
• Knut Hamsun
• Magnus Carlsen.
• Kygo.
• Niels Henrik Abel

When did Norway last qualify for the World Cup?

1998

In February 2019, they were ranked by FIFA at No. 48. Norway has participated three times in the FIFA World Cup (1938, 1994, 1998), and once in the UEFA European Championship (2000).

What is Norway famous for most?

The nickname “Land of the Midnight Sun” applies to Norway. It is renowned for its incredible lakes, fjords, and skies. Norway is renowned for its languages, Vikings, and folklore, as well as for being environmentally friendly and producing oil. Additionally, many Norwegians are well-known Tesla owners, frozen pizza enthusiasts, and ski enthusiasts.

Who is the most famous sportsman in Norway?

Ole Einar Bjrndalen

Ole Einar Bjrndalen is the most famous athlete, with an HPI of 55.14. On Wikipedia, his biography has been translated into 52 different languages.

Who is the best female striker in Norway?

Ada Hegerberg

She is widely regarded as being one of the best footballers in the world.

How much is Erling Haaland worth?

The Norwegian prodigy Erling Haaland tops the table for footballers with a transfer valuation of more than €80M: €155M compared to €120M at the end of October (+€35M).

How many football clubs are in Norway?

1,822

There are 1,822 registered football clubs and about 25,000 teams.

How many Norwegians have played in the Premier League?

63

The 63 Norwegians who have played in the Premier League to date include Solksjaer, Flo, and King. Norwegians are also the nationality most likely to watch live football while visiting Britain.

What is Norway’s best sport?

Cross-country skiing is theoretically Norway’s national sport, despite being unofficially. Cross-country skiing is one of the most well-liked sports in the nation, and everyone enjoys it.

Which is the most successful football club in Norway?

Rosenborg

The most successful club is Rosenborg, which has won 26 titles overall and 13 straight from 1992 to 2004.

How does the Norwegian league work?

As of 2017, the current national league system administered by the NFF is organized as 1–1–2–6, where Eliteserien is the highest level and the First Division the second tier, followed by two groups in the third tier (Second Division) and 6 regional groups in the fourth tier (Third Division).

How many leagues are there in Norway?

As of 2018, the current national league system administered by the NFF is organized as 1–1–2–6, where Eliteserien is the highest level and 1.

Current system.

League(s)/Division(s) 3. divisjon Group 1 14 clubs
3. divisjon Group 2 14 clubs
3. divisjon Group 3 14 clubs
3. divisjon Group 4 14 clubs

Why does Bodo Glimt have two names?

Due to an older club from Trndelag using the same name, the club changed its name in 1948 and has since been known as Fotballklubben Bod/Glimt.