'Last type of player he wants to play against' - Premier League winner Ole Gunnar Solskjaer hails Atlanta United's Stian Rode Gregersen as Luis Suarez's toughest potential opponent

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, former Manchester United manager and current Besiktas head coach, praised Atlanta United defender Stian Rode Gregersen for his skills.

In a recent interview, Solskjaer singled out Gregersen as the type of defender that even a seasoned striker such as Luis Suarez would find challenging to face. The Champions League winner also coached Gregersen during his spell at Molde and admitted that he wouldn't have wanted to play against the Atlanta defender.

“You know I was a forward myself and Stian is exactly the type you don’t want to play against," he said. "Say for (Luis) Suarez then, who’s done everything in his football career. Probably the last type of player he wants to play against is Stian’s type."

Gregersen has made 10 appearances for the Norwegian national team since his debut in 2021. His most recent international outings were in Norway's Nations League victories against Slovenia and Kazakhstan in November.

After a tough start to the 2025 MLS season, Atlanta United sit 11th on the Eastern Conference table, having won just one of their opening three league games.

They host the Herons next at the Mercedes-Benz stadium before going on the road to face FC Cincinnati on March 16 and 22, respectively.