Andreas Schjelderup Shines as Norway Defeats Brazil
Andreas Schjelderup walked off the pitch in Porto Alegre with the scoreboard reading Brazil 1-2 Norway and his reputation transformed.
Until Sunday, the Benfica winger had been a World Cup footnote: one start, one assist, flashes of promise in a heavy 4-1 defeat to France. Ninety electrifying minutes against Brazil have turned him into one of the most talked‑about wide forwards of the tournament – and put Premier League recruiters on alert.
A cameo that changed everything
Norway trailed 1-0 at the break, struggling to turn Erling Haaland’s runs into real chances. Antonio Nusa had shown touches of quality, but the final ball kept dying on his boot. Stale Solbakken needed incision, not just intent.
On came Schjelderup.
Immediately, the tempo changed. He drove at defenders, looked early for Haaland, and played with a clarity that Norway had lacked. The 22-year-old completed a successful dribble, made five ball recoveries and, crucially, never stopped looking forward.
His numbers told the story of a player in complete control: 25 completed passes from 27 attempts, a tackle, an interception, and a constant willingness to track back. This was not a luxury winger drifting on the periphery. This was a wide forward dictating the rhythm of a World Cup knockout tie.
He almost struck first himself. A sharp snapshot forced Alisson into a smart save, a warning of what was to come.
The breakthrough arrived moments later. Schjelderup burned past his marker on the left, glanced up once and sent a looping, teasing cross into the area. Haaland met it with the inevitability of a man who expects to score on this stage. 1-1, and suddenly Brazil looked rattled.
Then came the second assist. Less spectacular, just as deadly. A simple pass into Haaland’s path, 23 yards from goal. The Manchester City striker did the rest, drilling low into the bottom corner. The pass was straightforward; the decision-making was not. Schjelderup had options, but he chose the right one, early and clean.
By the time Neymar’s late consolation hit the net, the tie – and the narrative – belonged to Norway’s No 22.
Benfica breakout fuels Premier League interest
This World Cup surge has not come from nowhere. Schjelderup’s club season with Benfica built quietly, then caught fire.
For months he watched more than he played, stuck on the bench for much of the first half of the campaign. The turning point came in January, when he scored twice against Real Madrid and forced his way into the conversation. From there, he stayed in it.
Once trusted as a regular starter on the left, he delivered. Six goals and four assists in his final 14 Liga Portugal matches underlined a player finally marrying talent with end product. Defenders struggled to read him; once he shifted through the gears, they rarely caught him.
He has two years left on his Benfica contract, a situation that naturally attracts suitors. A fee in the region of £35 million is being discussed – the kind of price that makes sporting directors sit up, especially when the player is 22, left-sided, and already proving he can hurt elite opposition.
Tottenham are among the clubs considering a move. Liverpool are watching too. Both need dynamism and goals from wide areas. Both have seen a young winger dismantle Brazil on the biggest stage.
Essien’s verdict and the next step
Those who worked with Schjelderup early in his career are not surprised. Michael Essien, who spent time with him at Nordsjaelland, has long been convinced of his ceiling.
“Schjelde has everything to take even bigger steps,” Essien told VG. “The sky's the limit. He can play for the biggest clubs in the world. Personally, I'd like to see him at Real Madrid or another big club.
“I watch Benfica's games when I can. When Andreas has the ball, he almost seems faster with it than without it. There aren't many players like that. When he accelerates, it's very difficult to stop him.”
That last line could have been lifted straight from his Brazil cameo. Ball at feet, head up, defenders backpedalling. The acceleration, the balance, the timing of the pass – all of it screamed top-level pedigree.
For Tottenham, searching for fresh attacking options this summer, Schjelderup looks like exactly the kind of calculated gamble that can reshape a frontline. For Liverpool, always keen to refresh their wide options before decline sets in, he offers versatility and a profile that fits their high-intensity game.
He wants the Premier League. The Premier League is watching him. After a night that stunned Brazil and lit up Norway’s World Cup run, the only real question is which club is brave enough to move first.
