The best place to take the temperature of a nation’s love of football is always on the school playground, and in Norway there has been a sea change. Partly it is the colours – sky blue is everywhere these days – but more subtly is the fact that, more so than ever before, there are Norwegian names on the back of kids’ shirts.
The country has always loved English football ever since acquiring TV rights in the 1960s, and the Premier League is something of an obsession. But the fact that two of the leading protagonists in this year’s compelling title race play for the Norway national team has made things personal. Martin Odegaard is Arsenal’s captain; Erling Haaland is Manchester City’s superstar. And on Wednesday night they collide at the heart of a match at the Etihad Stadium which will likely decide who wins the Premier League.
