Jorgen Strand Larsen selected for Norway for 2026 World Cup

Crystal Palace forward Jorgen Strand Larsen has been selected in the Norway squad for the 2026 World Cup.

As Palace prepare for the Conference League final, a game in which Strand Larsen will likely be heavily involved in, for many other players around the world, the club season has come to an end.

That of course, leaves the World Cup, and the tournament is now just 17 days away.

We have seen several squad announcements already, not least Spain earlier today, in which Yeremy Pino was included in the squad.

Well, Norway have now joined them and while the main focus is undoubtedly on Erling Haaland, Strand Larsen is included from a Palace perspective.

The 26-year-old joined Palace from Wolves in January and has scored some important goals, not least Crystal Palace’s goal of the season in the second leg against Shakhtar.

In total, Strand Larsen has scored four goals and assisted one more in 21 matches at Palace, as he gets to grips with a new system.

For Norway, Strand Larsen is undoubtedly a player of importance and he has been involved in each of their last three friendly matches, playing a full 90 minutes in the 2-1 defeat to the Netherlands in March.

In total, he has scored four goals in 26 caps for his country, after progressing through the age groups.

Norway have not featured at a World Cup in 28 years, last appearing at France 98’, where they reached the round of 16.

Their only other two appearances at the World Cup were in 1938 and 1994, where they went out in the group stage.

They come in with some genuine optimism this time, though, having the likes of Haaland and Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard in the squad.

Strand Larsen is one of seven Premier League players called into the squad, including Fulham duo Sander Berge and Oscar Bobb, in a squad that also contains three members of the heroic Bodo/Glimt squad that did so well in the Champions League.

Norway are largely considered a potential dark horse for the World Cup, coming in at 33/1 alongside Belgium.

They begin their campaign against Iraq on June 16, before a massive match against Senegal on June 23 and a game that will be all about Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe as Norway face France on June 26.

That is a game that could have as many as three Crystal Palace players involved, with Strand Larsen potentially going up against Maxence Lacroix and Jean-Philippe Mateta.