Na big news dey for Norway football today as Bodo Glimt goalkeeper Nikita Haikin don finally collect Norwegian citizenship. Dis one mean say de man fit now play for Norway national team, especially as World Cup dey come for 2026. Haikin, wey be 30 years old, don live for Bodo since 2019 and im marriage to Norwegian woman don help am for dis process.
General Secretary of Norwegian Football Association, Karl Petter Loken, confirm say dem don approve Haikin application. But e still need FIFA to approve im switch from im previous associations. Loken talk say dem go send application quick quick once dem get all documents. After FIFA give green light, na national team manager Stale Solbakken go decide if Haikin go enter squad.
Solbakken talk to NRK say “Haikin go dey evaluated like every other player.” Right now, Orjan Håskjold Nyland dey as first-choice goalkeeper, but Haikin performance dis season don make plenty people dey talk. For Champions League dis season, Haikin get record 68 saves, pass even Real Madrid Thibaut Courtois wey get 56.
Bodo Glimt don shock Europe dis season with wins against big teams like Manchester City, Atlético Madrid, and Inter Milan. Haikin don be key reason why. Im penalty save help Glimt reach Europa League semi-finals before. Now with Norway don qualify for World Cup since 1998, dis goalkeeper addition fit change game.
Haikin don hold Russian and Israeli citizenship before, and im only get British citizenship before dis new Norwegian one. Im short time with Bristol City for 2023 no stop im connection to Norway. De man don show commitment to de country wey im don call home since 2019.
Norway preliminary World Cup squad go come out on 11 May, with final selection on 1 June. All eyes dey on Solbakken to see if dis new citizen go make cut. With Nyland facing playing time issues at Sevilla, Haikin chance don bright well well.
Meanwhile, for other football news, Inter Milan star Lautaro Martinez don suffer another injury setback. De Argentina striker don reinjure im soleus muscle just after returning from seven-week absence. Inter confirm say tests show mild strain, and dem go re-evaluate im condition soon.
Martinez had scored twice in Inter 5-2 win over Roma last Sunday, but now im go miss matches against Como and Cagliari, plus Coppa Italia semi-final. Dis one dey worry for Argentina too as World Cup dey approach. Martinez don miss five Serie A matches and Champions League games since February.
For Bodo Glimt side, coach Kjetil Knutsen don talk say im no dey plan to leave de club soon. Despite interest from clubs like Celtic, Knutsen say im commitment na 100% to Glimt. De coach don lead Glimt to four Eliteserien titles and Champions League last 16 dis season.
Knutsen tell TV2 say when team dey do well, interest go dey come. But im focus remain on Glimt. “All other interests dey completely uninteresting to me,” im talk. Dis mean Glimt go likely continue with same management structure as dem prepare for next season.
As for Haikin, im journey to Norwegian citizenship don end well. Now de real work begin as im wait for FIFA approval and potential national team call-up. For country wey don wait long for World Cup return, dis goalkeeper addition fit be game-changer.
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