Italy national football team vs norway national football team standings

Italy vs Norway – Match Preview

Latest Standings Snapshot

Team	Played	Wins	Draws	Losses	Points	Goal Difference
Italy	5	3	1	1	10	+5
Norway	5	2	2	1	8	+3

Quick Summary

Italy: Currently leading the group with a slim margin, showing strong defensive stability and goal efficiency.

Norway: Close behind, competitive in attack and difficult to break down, making this a potentially tight contest.

UEFA Nations League – Group I Standings

Position	Team	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Points
1	Italy	5	3	1	1	9	4	+5	10
2	Norway	5	2	2	1	7	4	+3	8
3	Spain	5	2	1	2	6	5	+1	7
4	Switzerland	5	1	2	2	4	7	-3	5
5	Iceland	5	0	2	3	2	8	-6	2

Italy leads the group; Norway is in close second, making this upcoming clash crucial for qualification and group positioning.

Head‑to‑Head (H2H) — Italy vs Norway

Here’s a detailed H2H section showing the historical context between the Italy National Football Team and the Norway National Football Team, including total meetings, wins/losses/draws, goals comparison, and recent match outcomes:

All‑Time H2H Summary

Total meetings: 17–19 matches (sources vary slightly)
Italy wins: 8
Norway wins: 5
Draws: 4
Goals Scored: Italy 22+ | Norway 16–20+

Italy hold a modest advantage overall, with more wins historically, but Norway have been competitive and captured wins in key recent clashes.

H2H Breakdown (Wins/Draws/Losses)

Result Type	Italy	Norway	Draws
Wins	8	5	4
Goals Scored	22+	16–20+	—
Total Matches	~17–19	~17–19	—

Goal Difference: Italy hold a positive margin, but Norway’s recent scoring form has closed the gap.

Recent Meetings

16 Nov 2025: Italy 1–4 Norway (World Cup 2026 Qualifying) – Norway overturned an early Italy lead with a commanding performance.
06 Jun 2025: Norway 3–0 Italy (World Cup 2026 Qualifying) – Norway secured a resounding victory with goals from Sørloth, Nusa, and Haaland.

These recent results show a shift in momentum toward Norway, particularly in competitive qualifiers where Norway secured emphatic wins in both encounters.

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Match Analysis — Italy vs Norway

Recent Matches Breakdown

Norway 3–0 Italy (World Cup Qualifier – June 6, 2025) Norway dominated, exploiting Italy’s defensive vulnerabilities. Sørloth, Nusa, and Haaland all scored in the first half. Italy struggled to create meaningful chances.
Italy 1–4 Norway (World Cup Qualifier – Nov 16, 2025) Italy scored first via Pio Esposito, but Norway responded with four goals, including a Haaland double. Possession was balanced, but Norway’s finishing efficiency prevailed.

Key Goals, xG & Expected Outcomes

Expected Goals (xG) Insights: In the Nov 16, 2025 meeting, Italy recorded ~1.35 xG while Norway posted ~1.66 xG. Despite balanced chances, Norway’s high-quality transitions turned opportunities into goals efficiently.

Goals & Quality Chances: Norway’s transitions and direct through balls exploited Italy’s defensive line, while Italy’s low shot volume limited goal threats.

Tactical Insights

Norway’s Effective Transitional Play

Norway excelled on the counter, exploiting Italy’s high defensive line and midfield gaps. Quick combinations and precise through balls to forwards like Sørloth, Nusa, and Haaland maximized xG efficiency early in matches.

Italy’s Buildup Issues

Italy often dominated possession but struggled to penetrate Norway’s disciplined defensive structure. Low xG (~0.3 in the June 6 match) highlighted the inefficiency in converting control into goals.

Set‑Piece & Midfield Battles

Norway’s midfield duels and quick progression into advanced zones shifted momentum in their favor. Italy’s challenge remains creating final-third entries and converting set-pieces against resilient Norwegian defense.

Layer Impact — Italy vs Norway

Erling Haaland — Norway’s Game‑Changer

Goal Impact:
- Historic scoring run: Haaland scored 16 goals in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, topping European charts and equaling Lewandowski’s 2018 record.
- Key matches vs Italy: Scored in Norway’s 3‑0 win in Oslo and a brace in the 4‑1 victory at San Siro.
- Consistency & conversion: Found the net in every qualifier, converting high-value chances consistently.
Overall Influence: Haaland’s presence forced defensive adjustments, drew multiple markers, and created space for teammates, making him decisive in Norway’s qualification push.

Italy’s Key Contributors & Goal Impact

Francesco Pio Esposito: Scored Italy’s opener in the 4‑1 defeat vs Norway and netted in other qualifiers like the 3‑1 win over Estonia.
Moise Kean & Mateo Retegui: Contributed in other qualifiers, showing Italy’s more distributed attacking output.
General Impact: Italy relied on team coordination and spread goals rather than a single superstar, contrasting with Norway’s Haaland-driven dominance.

Impact Summary — Italy vs Norway

Player	Team	Key Impact	Notable Performance
Erling Haaland	Norway	16 goals in qualifiers; decisive in historic wins	Brace vs Italy (4‑1), goal in 3‑0 win
Francesco Pio Esposito	Italy	Emerging scoring threat	Goal vs Norway, goal vs Estonia
Moise Kean & Mateo Retegui	Italy	Scored in qualifiers contributing to group positioning	Goals vs Estonia

Qualification Implications — Italy vs Norway

Standings & Direct World Cup Qualification

Group I Context: Italy currently leads the group with 10 points, while Norway is close behind with 8 points.
Direct Qualification: The group winner earns an automatic spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Playoffs: The second-placed team must go through playoff rounds, which are riskier due to knockout-style games and potential extra time/penalties.
Key Takeaway: Every point matters, and this match is pivotal for both teams’ chances of avoiding the playoffs.

Scenario Analysis

Result	Implication for Italy	Implication for Norway
Italy Win	Secures top spot or extends lead to 5 points, nearly guaranteeing direct qualification	Norway stays behind, likely forced into playoffs
Draw	Maintains slim lead, still in strong position, but Norway remains a threat	Keeps playoff hopes alive, gap narrows
Norway Win	Drops to 2nd place, may face playoffs depending on final matchday results	Takes top spot, direct World Cup qualification

FAQ

Italy is currently leading Group I, holding a narrow advantage in points and goal difference. However, Norway remains close behind, keeping the title race highly competitive.

Historically, Italy holds a slight edge in total wins, but Norway has dominated recent meetings — including emphatic World Cup qualifier victories. Recent results suggest momentum has shifted in Norway’s favor.

Italy: 10 points
Norway: 8 points
With only a small gap separating them, the upcoming match could decide direct World Cup qualification versus playoff contention.

Norway’s recent victories over Italy have strengthened their FIFA ranking and international reputation. Italy’s ranking impact has been slightly negative, increasing pressure to recover in upcoming fixtures.

The Group I winner qualifies directly for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while the runner-up must enter risky playoffs. This match could determine whether a team secures automatic qualification or faces a high-pressure playoff route.