Haaland and Thérèse are products of different football schools who met in the same dressing room. The Norwegian is accustomed to the straightforwardness of Scandinavian style, the Frenchman was raised on positional cunning. On Manchester City's pitch they learn from each other, but on the international stage each will return to his roots — and that's when it will become clear how deeply they have absorbed foreign experience.

Solbakken builds around one genius striker, Deschamps — around a system that has survived several generations of players. The Norwegian arrived recently and is still proving that he can take a small country to a big stage; the Frenchman over 13 years has turned his post into a synonym for stability, although critics are already asking whether it's time to let some air into the project. This is a meeting of the architect of young ambition and the keeper of an established school.

Sørloth will bring to the left flank the experience of Spanish defense and a habit of tight marking, while Gusto is a young defender from the Premier League accustomed to more open, dynamic football. The Norwegian will be looking for space behind the back, using his age advantage and tactical understanding, while the Frenchman will need quick reactions to prevent his opponent from breaking free. On this section it may be decided how confidently France can control the flank or whether it will allow Norway to create threats from the edge.