Boston, June 16: Head coach Stale Solbakken hailed Erling Haaland as the “world’s best goalscorer” and stated that the physically fit one of the world’s deadliest strikers is primed to make a massive impact as Norway are making their return to the FIFA World Cup after a 28-year absence.

Norway will begin their World Cup campaign against Iraq in a challenging Group I that includes two-time champions France and Senegal on Wednesday in Boston.

Haaland has scored 55 goals in 50 international appearances for the Norway national team, making him the country’s all-time leading goalscorer. He reached 50 Norway goals in 46 appearances. It made him just the sixth footballer and first in 53 years to register the half-century in fewer than 50 international caps.

Haaland, with 17 goals in nine games, finished as international football’s leading marksman for 2025, six clear on his closest challengers. Solbakken believes powerhouse Haaland is without equal when it comes to to putting the ball in the back of the net.

“Hopefully Erling will have a very big impact. I think he’s the world’s best goalscorer. He is physically fit, he was given a little break at the end of the season – (missing) one game for Manchester City and one for us. Hopefully we can give him good service because, if we give him chances, he has a tendency to score,” Solbakken told reporters.

Solbakken also highlighted the importance of Arsenal playmaker Martin Odegaard. “When he is on the pitch he is a very, very important player for us, and he’s our captain. He dictates, in many areas, the tempo of our play,” the coach said.

Norway’s last World Cup appearance came in 1998, when Solbakken was part of the squad. Securing qualification for the 2026 finals carries special meaning for the former midfielder.

“I think that’s for every citizen – to lead this country in a game like that. And especially after 28 years, then obviously that is perhaps the top thing on the list. Hopefully it will be a nice experience. We will firstly get a good performance and then a nice result,” he said.

Asked what his last message to the players would be before the match, Solbakken said motivation would not be an issue, but handling the occasion correctly would be key.

“The match can have better and less good periods, and we have to find back the good feeling if we lose that feeling in the course of the match,” he said.

Madrid, June 8: Spain coach Luis de la Fuente remains confident that the injured trio of Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams, and Victor Munoz will be fit in time to start his side’s FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign.

De la Fuente was speaking to the press ahead of his side’s friendly against Peru in the Mexican city of Puebla, which is the final chance to make adjustments ahead of his side’s World Cup opener against Cabo Verde in Atlanta on June 15, reports Xinhua.

De la Fuente left Williams, Munoz, and Yamal at Spain’s base in Chattanooga to continue their return to fitness, but insisted they were “meeting their recovery deadlines.”

“They were scheduled to do more specific work these next few days, and if they continue progressing this way, I think they’ll be available [against Cabo Verde],” he said.

Yamal and Williams have hamstring problems, while Munoz has a calf strain. “Each one had their own process. Lamine’s injury was different, as was its duration. But the most important thing is that, within the expected timeframe, he’s currently fit to be included in the squad,” De la Fuente insisted.

Yamal, Williams, and Munoz all play on the wing, but even if they aren’t fit for the opening game, De la Fuente said he had players in the squad who could provide cover.

“We have other options. There are different styles, and we’ll see how the week goes,” the coach said, adding that the Peru game would see him field a more recognisable team than the one that drew 1-1 with Iraq last Thursday.

“I have a plan for how to start the World Cup if there are no adverse circumstances. Football can always surprise you, but I won’t reveal the lineup,” he concluded.

The Spain national team reached the United States on Saturday to continue with its preparations for the FIFA World Cup 2026 finals, with a few questions still to be answered — especially the one hanging in the balance of the fate of the injured trio.

Spain flew in from Santiago de Compostela (northern Spain) to Nashville after Thursday’s 1-1 draw against Iraq, and from Nashville, the squad travelled to Baylor School in Chattanooga, which will be its base for the tournament.

Warsaw (Poland), June 8: Latvia and the United States claimed the respective men’s and women’s titles at the FIBA 3×3 World Cup in Warsaw, Poland.

Latvia defeated Germany 20-15 in the men’s final to win its first 3×3 World Cup title. The victory also made Latvia the first men’s team to complete a collection of major international honors: Olympic gold at Tokyo 2020, the European Cup in 2017, and the World Cup in 2026 on Sunday.

Serbia edged France 20-19 to secure bronze.

In the women’s competition, the United States beat Australia 21-20 in a closely contested final. Mikaylah Williams scored the winning basket and was named the tournament’s MVP, reports Xinhua.

The triumph marked the fourth 3×3 World Cup title for the U.S. women, following previous victories in 2012, 2014, and 2023, while Australia made the women’s final for the first time.

The Netherlands secured the bronze medal with a 21-14 victory over Azerbaijan.

The seven-day tournament brought together 40 teams from around the world, attracting more than 100,000 spectators.

The inaugural tournament, originally named the FIBA 3×3 World Championship, was held in August 2012 in Athens, Greece. In the first edition, there was a mixed event where each team was composed of 2 men and 2 women. But now that has been discontinued, and there are only two events in the tournament: one for men and another for women.

Serbia is the most successful country in the men’s competition with six gold medals, one silver, and two bronze, while the United States is the next best with one gold and two silver medals. Latvia, Qatar, and Oman are the other countries to win the gold medal in the FIBA 3×3 World Cup.

The United States is the most successful nation in the women’s FIBA 3×3 World Cup with four titles and one third-place finish. France, Russia, China, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, and Italy are the other nations to win the title in the competition that has had 10 editions so far.