With the Flag on Their Chest: The Story Behind Norway’s Golden Generation

Norwegian football had been stagnant for two decades - and in 2016 faith in the men’s national team sunk to a new low under the management of Per-Mathias Hogmo. Fast-forward to 2022 and there is fresh optimism radiating from the nation as a new crop of hugely gifted young players announce themselves on the world stage. Norway has always produced talented footballers, but rarely as consistently or to the standard we are seeing today with the likes of Martin Odegaard and Erling Braut Haaland. The Norwegian Eliteserien has long been a league associated with power and grit rather than technique and guile. But teams are now giving more minutes to under-21 players than ever before, fuelling the development of a men’s national side that could be capable of regularly qualifying for major tournaments. With the Flag on Their Chest explores the history of Norwegian football and delves into why this current golden generation of players is so important for the country.