This is confirmed by the Norwegian Football Association.
Ullevaal Stadium on Tuesday 12 March at 11:38
The short version
- Fredrik Aursnes (28) retires from the Norwegian national football team
- He wants to prioritize things other than football and wants more time and freedom
- Has played 20 international matches and scored one goal for Norway
- National team coach Ståle Solbakken has tried to persuade Aursnes, but they now agree on the decision
- Antonio Nusa (18) is also missing from the squad due to injuries, but may return later
Sea view
– I want to thank my teammates, coaches and support staff for a great time on the national team. I am very proud to have been part of this group and represented Norway. However, I feel that I want more time and freedom to prioritize other things than football in my life. It is a difficult decision, but something I feel is right for myself and what I want to prioritize, says Aursnes to the NFF.
Fredrik Aursnes (28) has played 20 international matches for Norway and has scored one goal.
– As of now, it is permanent. It’s boring and that’s why I’ve gone all in to persuade him a couple of times before, says Solbakken at the press conference.
These have been selected for the national team
Keepers:
Ørjan Nyland, Mathias Dyngeland, Egil Selvik
Defense:
Leo Skiri Østigård, Kristoffer Ajer, Julian Ryerson, Marcus Holmgren Pedersen, David Møller Wolfe, Fredrik Bjørkan, Andreas Hanche-Olsen, Jesper Daland
Midfield:
Aron Dønnum, Martin Ødegaard, Patrick Berg, Sander Berge, Oscar Bobb, Mohamed Elyounoussi, Hugo Vetlesen, Osame Sahraoui
Attack:
Erling Braut Haaland, Alexander Sørloth, Jørgen Strand Larsen
Aursnes starts almost every game for Benfica in Portugal and is said to have expressed a desire to have more time off.
– Fredrik has been telling me for quite some time that he needs to breathe between the games in Benfica, so we have had a dialogue about how this should go. I have managed to persuade him not to retire for a long time, says national team manager Ståle Solbakken, and continues:
– We agreed that I will not try to persuade him anymore. He should be allowed to decide this himself, and he has done so. As of now, Fredrik will not be part of us.
Short videos
A less permanent absence is Antonio Nusa (18). The Club Brugge player has struggled a lot with injuries and has not been included in the squad.
– I have spoken to Nusa for a long time. He had his first training now after the latest injury. If the next match goes well and we see he is healthy and fast and plays quite a lot, then we can take him out later, says Solbakken.