Kristoffer Ajer #3

Profile

If you follow the Premier League, you have probably noticed that long throw-ins have become popular. Brentford use this weapon to great effect and often the ball is launched on to the head of a tall Norwegian bloke, who flicks it on towards the opponent’s goal. At 1.98m, Ajer is the tallest outfield player for his club and the national team – and a threat at set pieces. As a youngster, Ajer was as good at school as he was at football and often got the highest grades – a big contrast to how the media judged his performance in Ståle Solbakken’s first game in charge for Norway, a 3-0 defeat by Turkey. Ajer was given a 2 out 10 by most people. "The player rating was deserved. I played really bad," he admitted later. Things have looked up for the 28-year-old since then and last year he established himself as the leader of the Norwegian defence – a role he will have at the World Cup.

Key stats