Norway Women's World Cup 2023 squad: Who's in & who's out?

Aurora Mikalsen of Brann should be the first-choice keeper of Norway in the World Cup. The 27-year-old was called up to stand between the sticks in the recent friendlies against Spain and Sweden which shows that Riise has put his trust in the keeper.

However, Guro Pettersen is another strong contender for the spot. The 31-year-old plies her trade for Valerenga Fotball Damer in Norway and was handed a start in a 2-1 loss to Denmark earlier in the season, which shows that the keeper does feature in the coach's plans.

Cecilie Fiskerstrand can be picked as the third-choice goalkeeper.

Riise likes to stick to a four-man backline and he is reasonably sure of the defenders that he is going to start with.

Skipper Maren Mjelde and Mathilde Harviken are the two first-choice centre-backs. However, if Mjelde is deployed as a defensive midfielder then Brighton's Guro Bergsvand slots in at the heart of defence.

Tuva Hansen has made the right-back position her own; whereas with Manchester United defender Maria Thorisdottir missing out through injury, Marit Bratberg Lund is the preferred choice at left-back .

Sara Horte completes the list of defenders in Norway's final 23.

Norway mostly play with a three-man midfield but can switch to a five if Riise thinks that his defenders need more cover.

In a three-man midfield, it is Vilde Risa who plays the role of an anchor and also dictates the momentum of the match from a deeper position. Meanwhile, experienced players like Guro Reiten and Frida Maanum flank her on the left and right, respectively.

But if there are five midfielders at the centre of the park then it might be set up with two pivots and three advanced players, or, one defensive midfielder with another bank of four just behind a lone striker.

Then a few other players come into the equation like Ingrid Engen, who can be used as a midfielder, and Amalie Eikeland and Emilie Haavi who are deployed in the wide areas.

Norway boast of having one of the most prolific forwards in Europe in Ada Hegerberg. The Lyon striker has 51 goals in 82 international appearances and a lot rests on her form in Australia.

Although she got injured in the friendly against Sweden in April, she has made a comeback to the Lyon squad.

If Riise chooses to go with two strikers, she is likely to be paired with either Caroline Graham Hansen or Karina Saevik upfront. Hansen recently won the Champions League with Barcelona and has 11 goals and six assists in 13 matches in the Primera Division.

Riise is tactically flexible and sets his team up according to the merits of the opposition. He can either go with a 4-3-3 or a more balanced 4-2-3-1. On a few occasions, he has even experimented with 4-1-4-1.

In the World Cup, he is more likely to stick with a 4-2-3-1 that he recently experimented with during the friendly with Spain in April.

Aurora Miklasen should start in goal with Tuva Hansen, Maren Mjelde, Mathilde Harviken and Marit Bratberg Lund in defence shielding her. Vilde Boe Risa and Ingrid Engan can be the two defensive midfielders.

Whereas, Emilie Haavi, Frida Maanum and Guro Reiten could be tasked to support Ada Hegerberg upfront who is likely to be the lone striker.

Norway XI (4-3-3): Mikalsen; Hansen, Mjelde, Harviken, Bratberg Lund; Boe Risa, Engan; Haavi, Maanum, Reiten; Hegerberg.