Norway head coach Ståle Solbakken has singled out Ivory Coast as the most physically imposing side Norway will face at the FIFA World Cup 2026, cautioning that his side must rise to meet that challenge when the two nations meet at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Solbakken acknowledged that Norway have developed a possession-oriented style influenced by the Guardiola school of play, but he stressed that technical identity alone will not be enough. Defensive structure and physical resilience, he argued, must accompany the ball-playing approach.