San Francisco, 10 Jul – Patrick Berg did not start Norway’s FIFA World Cup 2026™ campaign as a first-choice player, but he earned his place in the starting XI after a stellar performance in the Nordic side’s final Group I game. He quickly became a key figure, helping the Vikings beat Côte d’Ivoire 2-1 in the Round of 32, before impressing again as they repeated the feat against Brazil in the last 16.
At 28, Berg is one of Norway’s senior figures and even wore the armband in the group loss to France, with captain Martin Odegaard rested ahead of the knockout stage. Speaking exclusively to FIFA, Brazilian goalkeeper Ricardo Friedrich – Berg’s teammate at Bodø/Glimt from 2017 to 2020 and currently of Malmö in Sweden – described him as a leader whose words and actions are measured and decisive.
“I was captain in 2019 and we went through some very intense moments – we were expected to be fighting relegation, but ended up finishing runners-up,” the shot-stopper recalled.
“Today, Patrick is deservedly one of the captains and one of the team’s standout players, and he is now attracting attention across Europe and at the World Cup. He has a conscious style of leadership. He’s not someone who talks all the time or tries to impose himself by raising his voice – he speaks calmly and openly. When he does speak, everyone stops to listen, because he speaks with authority.”
Those qualities are also reflected in the way the midfielder plays. Berg is not a player who usually catches the eye with dribbles, bending long passes or moments of individual brilliance. Yet he always seems to be in the right place at the right time, helping his side build play and covering ground across the pitch.
“Patrick is a very focused, committed and intelligent player,” said Friedrich. “He sees football differently. You can tell he understands and reads the game like few others.”
