Norway first headed to the FIFA U-20 World Cup™ (then known as the FIFA World Youth Championships) at Saudi Arabia 1989, as the likes of Henning Berg and Stig Inge Bjornebye headlined a squad tasked with escaping a tricky-looking Group D.
They fell to an Iraq side who would emerge as perfect pool winners in their first match, before a 2-0 reverse to Diego Simeone’s Argentina left their campaign hanging by a thread.
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Victory over Spain in their final match put them in a three-way tie for second place on points, but goal difference saw the Argentinians edge through. For Norway, though, winning their first match at the finals proved memorable enough in itself.
“It was special, it was huge,” Bjorn Johansen, who netted the second goal in the 4-2 win over Spain, told FIFA. “I don’t think we realised what we were joining until after the tournament, but we were in a tough group with Spain, Argentina and Iraq, and the surprise was Iraq won the group. But we managed a victory against Spain. Saudi Arabia was special.
“Of course, I played with quality players [in Berg and Bjornebye], and that generation, up until now, was maybe seen as one of the best periods for Norwegian football, because going into the 90s we were qualifying for the World Cup and the EUROs with the national team. Everybody in Norway is hoping that we are getting back to those good times, and so far it’s looking good.”
Fast forward to present day and Johansen is playing his part in bringing back those good times. After a spell with Norway’s U16-U18 sides, the 56-year-old made the step up to the U-20s this January and will lead them back to the global finals for the first time since 2019. Knowing first-hand how impactful this tournament can be, he’s keen for his players to enjoy the experience.
“It’s quite some years ago [since I went], but I’ve been telling them that this is a tournament you’re going to remember for the rest of your life,” he said. “No matter how your career is going to go, this is going to be a special moment in your football career. It was for me, and I think all the players are going to have the same experience from this tournament.”
When it comes to Norwegians starring on U-20 World Cup soil, one name in particular springs to Johansen’s mind.
“This was the tournament that Erling Haaland had a breakthrough, scoring nine goals against Honduras,” he recalled of Haaland’s record-breaking single-game haul from the 2019 edition. “So it’s a tournament to shine, and it’s a tournament to remember. He’s a huge inspiration.
“The good thing about them, if I can say a little bit more about Haaland and Martin Odegaard, is that their profiles are so good and they’ve been so good for the national team with Stale Solbakken. The way they approach the games – even the friendlies with the national team – by expressing how much this means to them, helps a lot to raise the level. They’re an inspiration for everybody in all aspects.”
Despite Haaland’s Honduras heroics, his team – much like Johansen’s in 1989 and the side which travelled to Australia in 1993 – exited at the first round. This year, he’s determined for things to be different.
“If we don’t qualify [for the knockout phase], I would be disappointed,” he admitted. “The first step is to be qualified for the next step – that’s going to be historic. We’ve been there three times and haven’t managed that, so we want to go through the group and make history. If we get to that stage then everything is alive. The ambition is to go through the group stage and be in the pot, where everything can happen.”
Standing in their way of a first-ever second-round berth are Nigeria, Colombia and Saudi Arabia. All three sides pose a different threat to that goal, but Johansen remains confident in his side’s chances.
“It’s an interesting group with different teams,” he continued. “I’d maybe have Colombia as the favourites before the tournament starts, because they can combine a few more tactical aspects and also have the physicality on board.
“It is a group we can qualify from. I think the chances of finishing first or second are good but on the other hand, and this is probably the same for a lot of teams, the ‘X factor’ players in my team are not going to participate, so there’s probably going to be close games. Right now we are hoping someone else is stepping up and taking that. It’s an open group and anyone can beat anyone.”
