The Shocking Reason Haaland Is Sitting Out Norway's Crucial World Cup Clash Against France

The decision to leave Erling Haaland out of Norway's starting lineup for the crucial Group I finale against France caught many off guard, though Ståle Solbakken had previously cautioned that difficult calls would need to be made in this high-stakes World Cup environment.

Back-to-back wins over Iraq and Senegal secured Norway's place in the round of 32, a remarkable feat for a country that has not reached a World Cup group stage within Haaland's lifetime. France mirrored those results, creating a head-to-head battle for group supremacy on Friday in Boston that would, in theory, offer a more favorable path through the knockout rounds.

Yet that perspective wasn't entirely shared by Solbakken.

"It is an important game [against France]," the Norway manager told reporters earlier this week, "but the most important is the round of 32."