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Erling Haaland was given a rare breather on Friday when Norway faced France in Boston, though he might not be overly grateful to his manager for it. Stale Solbakken’s bold move to overhaul 10 of his starting eleven for Norway’s third group-stage fixture effectively put Haaland’s Golden Boot chase on hold for a few days, while simultaneously giving one of his rivals a boost — Ousmane Dembele, who netted a stunning hat-trick in France’s 4-1 triumph.

Solbakken, however, appeared completely unconcerned by the decision. “I don’t care at all,” he said this week when asked whether Haaland’s personal pursuit of a scoring title might have been compromised by the rotation.

The Norwegian manager had already hinted in his pre-match press conference that he would make significant changes to his side. Interestingly, his inspiration came from France themselves — recalling Didier Deschamps’ strategy during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, when he rested key players like Kylian Mbappe, Antoine Griezmann and Ousmane Dembele in their final group game.

“We can learn a lot from France,” Solbakken said. “They have shown they can reach the third group match and rest some players … they’ve been very smart.”

Perhaps Solbakken was surprised when Deschamps chose a contrasting approach this time, fielding a strong French team against Norway as they aimed to secure top position in Group I. Before the match, Solbakken had highlighted the twin threats of Mbappe and Michael Olise, yet it was another Frenchman who stole the show — Dembele, who thrived throughout the contest.

There are, of course, clear arguments against rotating players mid-tournament. Norway’s momentum from their first two victories dissipated in a heavy defeat, though it’s debatable whether their first-choice lineup could have fared much better against a side of France’s calibre.

Whether momentum truly exists as a tangible force in football remains debatable, with several studies suggesting that form has little real influence on future results. Solbakken’s reference point — France in 2022 — is telling: Deschamps’ rotated side lost 1-0 to Tunisia, yet France went on to reach the final and came within a whisker of lifting the World Cup.

England followed a similar template in 2018, when Gareth Southgate rested several regular starters against Belgium. Southgate’s reasoning was partly based on player fitness and partly on maintaining squad morale by distributing playing time. England lost that match 1-0, but exceeded expectations thereafter, advancing to the semi-finals before bowing out to Croatia. Ironically, when Southgate fielded a stronger XI against Belgium in the third-place play-off, they were second best and fell 2-0.

Every manager has their own philosophy on rotation. When The Independent asked Thomas Tuchel before this World Cup whether he would consider rotating his England side during the group stage, he confirmed he would — though he also admitted concern about disrupting on-field chemistry.

That said, if there has ever been a World Cup where rest is vital, it is this one. The expanded format now features 48 nations and 104 matches, many played in extreme heat. Even Gianni Infantino’s well-intentioned three-minute water breaks will do little to mitigate the physical toll on players as the tournament grinds on.

Haaland, naturally, has more justification than most for taking a rest. After an exhausting season with Manchester City in arguably the world’s most physically demanding league, his body needed a break. Martin Odegaard, who was also benched against France, had endured a similarly packed schedule that included a Champions League final appearance.

By making wholesale changes, Norway effectively conceded any realistic shot at finishing top of their group. France are now poised to face Norway’s Scandinavian neighbours Sweden in the round of 32, although Belgium could be an alternative opponent depending on other results. That encounter is set for New Jersey, with a potential last-16 clash against Germany in Philadelphia looming beyond that.

Norway’s own route now takes them to Dallas, where they will meet Ivory Coast — a side rich with attacking talent, particularly wingers Yan Diomande and Amad Diallo. Should they prevail, a possible showdown with Brazil awaits in New Jersey.

Would Norway’s path have been easier had they topped their group? Having witnessed Sweden’s dismantling by the Netherlands in Houston last week, one might say yes. Sweden appear a level below Ivory Coast in terms of quality. However, the Dallas fixture will be played in an air-conditioned stadium, which could help Norway manage fatigue and enter the next round fresher — with Haaland and Odegaard fully recharged.

And there’s no certainty that a full-strength Norway would have beaten France to claim top spot. Nor is it guaranteed that Sweden would have been their opponents, or that Sweden would have been an easy challenge. The rivalry between the two nations would have ensured a derby-like atmosphere at the MetLife Stadium, which could have made the contest far more intense. For most teams, Sweden might be a preferred draw — but not for Norway.

In the end, Norway have taken a calculated gamble. And truly, who can question Solbakken’s perspective? This is a man who was clinically dead for seven minutes after suffering a cardiac arrest during training in 2001. Few understand life — and football — better than him. And clearly, chasing the Golden Boot ranks far below the bigger picture.