Manchester City's Erling Haaland & Arsenal's Martin Odegaard OUT of Euro 2024 as Norway fail to qualify after Romania's win over Israel blocks play-off route
Two of the Premier League's best players will be absent from the continental competition after Saturday's results went against them
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland and Arsenal midfielder Martin Odegaard will be absent from next summer's European Championship in Germany after Norway failed to qualify for the continental competition.
Haaland has been ruled out of Sunday's Euro 2024 qualifier against Scotland at Hampden Park through injury after picking up a knock in the 2-0 win over the Faroe Islands on Thursday, but it is irrelevant now anyway.
Norway were already unable to finish in the top two of their group after Scotland and Spain sealed the automatic qualification places, but the Scandinavians still had slim hopes of progressing via the play-offs.
However, those hopes were dashed on Saturday as Israel's 2-1 defeat to Romania closed the door on that possible route to Euro 2024.
Norway needed Israel to win in order to keep a possible path open to the continental competition in Germany, but Romania's victory takes them top of Group I and sees them seal a place at next summer's tournament.
Switzerland also secured their spot at the Euros after a 1-1 draw against Kosovo.
"Unfortunately, I am missing tomorrow’s game against Scotland," Haaland said on social media.
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"Wishing the boys all the best. Now treatment and trying to get back asap."
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Ben Hayward is a European football writer and Tottenham Hotspur fan with over 15 years’ experience, he has covered games all over the world - including three World Cups, several Champions League finals, Euros, Copa America - and has spent much of that time in Spain. Ben speaks English and Spanish, currently dividing his time between Barcelona and London, covering all the big talking points of the weekend on FFT: he’s also written several list features and interviewed Guglielmo Vicario for the magazine.