Andreas Schjelderup Shines at World Cup: Spurs and Liverpool Interested
Andreas Schjelderup arrived at this World Cup as a promising Benfica winger. He might leave it as one of the most coveted young attackers in Europe.
The 22-year-old tore into Brazil with a half-time cameo on Sunday that changed everything for Norway. Ståle Solbakken’s side trailed, short on conviction and short on ideas. Then Schjelderup stepped off the bench.
Forty-five minutes later, Brazil were out, beaten 2-1, and Erling Haaland had two more World Cup goals to his name. Both laid on by the same left boot.
Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool were already tracking him. Now they have a World Cup performance to add to the dossier.
A cameo that shook Brazil
Antonio Nusa had offered flashes in the first half against Brazil, but little end product. Solbakken needed incision, someone prepared to run at defenders and risk the ball.
Schjelderup answered in an instant.
He drove forward from the left, head up, always searching for Haaland’s movement. He completed a successful dribble, snapped into five recoveries and never once looked like a player overawed by the stage. When Norway lost the ball, he hunted it back, finishing with a tackle and an interception to underline the work rate behind the flair.
On the ball he was almost flawless: 25 completed passes from 27 attempts, most of them progressive, most of them carrying menace. His first warning came with a sharp snapshot that forced Alisson into a smart save.
Brazil did not heed it.
Moments later, Schjelderup exploded past his marker on the flank and hung a looping cross into the area. It was measured perfectly, dropping onto Haaland’s head with just enough dip and curl. The Manchester City striker did the rest.
The second assist lacked the same artistry but not the same impact. A simple pass into Haaland’s stride, 23 yards from goal. One touch, one ruthless finish into the bottom corner. Two goals, one comeback, one statement from a winger who made every involvement count.
His efficiency will have been noted in every recruitment department watching.
From Benfica bench to Premier League radar
Schjelderup’s rise this season has not been straightforward. He spent much of the first half of the campaign on the Benfica bench, waiting, watching, learning. The turning point came in January, when he scored twice against Real Madrid and forced his way into the conversation.
Once in, he stayed in.
The left-sided winger became a regular starter and finished the Liga Portugal season strongly: six goals and four assists in his final 14 league games. Those numbers, combined with his World Cup impact, paint the picture of a player finding his stride at exactly the right time.
His contract in Lisbon has just two years left to run. Benfica, always pragmatic in the market, know the clock is ticking. Reports suggest a fee in the region of £35 million could be enough to tempt them into a sale this summer.
For a Premier League club searching for a dynamic wide forward, that figure will not scare many.
Norway’s quiet weapon on the big stage
Schjelderup has started only one game at this World Cup so far, yet he has refused to fade into the background. In Norway’s 4-1 defeat to France he still emerged as one of their brighter performers, registering an assist and showing the same willingness to carry the ball and commit defenders.
Against Brazil, he became the difference.
What stands out is not just the end product but the attitude. He demanded the ball, played forward whenever possible and kept his passing crisp. Positive, direct, relentless. The type of winger who forces opponents to backpedal and defenders to make decisions they don’t want to make.
At 22, with a major tournament now on his CV and a growing reputation in Portugal, he looks ready for a bigger stage.
Essien’s verdict and the big-club question
Those who worked with Schjelderup early in his career saw this coming. At Nordsjaelland, where his senior journey began, he shared a dressing room with Chelsea legend Michael Essien, who has long been convinced of the Norwegian’s ceiling.
“Schjelde has everything to take even bigger steps,” Essien told VG. “The sky’s the limit. He can play for the biggest clubs in the world. Personally, I’d like to see him at Real Madrid or another big club.
“I watch Benfica's games when I can. When Andreas has the ball, he almost seems faster with it than without it. There aren't many players like that. When he accelerates, it's very difficult to stop him.”
That last line will echo in the minds of Premier League scouts. Pace with the ball, not just without it. The difference between a good winger and one who terrifies full-backs.
Why Spurs – and Liverpool – are watching
Tottenham need fresh blood in attack this summer. Ange Postecoglou wants wide players who can press, carry the ball and create for a central striker. Schjelderup ticks every box on paper: left-sided, technically sharp, aggressive in transition, and increasingly ruthless in the final third.
Liverpool, too, are monitoring. Their forward line is evolving, and a 22-year-old who can both score and serve chances to elite finishers fits the profile of a long-term project.
At around £35 million, he represents a calculated gamble rather than a wild swing. Benfica’s track record in developing and exporting talent only strengthens the case.
For now, Schjelderup’s focus stays with Norway and a World Cup that has already changed how Europe views him. The next decision belongs to him and to Benfica.
Does he become the next attacking jewel in Postecoglou’s high-tempo Spurs, a fresh weapon in Liverpool’s rotating front line, or does another heavyweight step in and rewrite the script?
