The former Aston Villa boss revealed how much he appreciated the work of the current Norwegian World Cup hero during his stint at Villa Park.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will see one of the most anticipated games for Premier League fans, the clash between Norway and England. Norway are ready to sail through to the next stage, the semi-finals. However, they first have to face England. The Three Lions eliminated co-hosts Mexico, while Norway stunned Brazil 2-1.
During that memorable match, there was another player who impressed between the sticks. He was former Villa goalkeeper Orjan Nyland. His contribution at Villa might have been too limited to remember, but he stole the spotlight in the Brazil vs Norway clash.
The former Villa boss, Dean Smith, who was at the helm when Nyland was still at the club, shared his view on the goalkeeper’s performances at the time, as reported by Birmingham Mail. He was referring to the EFL Cup semi-final in the 2019/20 season.
“We were indebted to Orjan Nyland who made three wonderful saves – two down low and then one onto the crossbar, which was really top drawer. He has certainly given me a conundrum, but they’re ones I want.”
His display against Leicester in the EFL Cup semi-final was certainly one of his most memorable performances in a Villa shirt. The 35-year-old goalkeeper also featured in the final, but Villa were beaten by Manchester City.
Nyland also made appearances in the Premier League that season. He played seven games but kept only one clean sheet. The former Molde BK goalkeeper was Tom Heaton‘s deputy at the time, so his limited minutes on the pitch were understandable.
Dean Smith continued commenting on the Norwegian shot-stopper’s spell at Aston Villa.
“He snapped his Achilles in the Championship last year. Then Jed Steer came in and did really well, and I brought in Tom Heaton and Nyland had to bide his time. Then unfortunately he came up against a very good Man City team and they scored six goals. Then Pepe (Reina) came in and did well.”
The goalkeeper, who arrived in 2018, eventually opted to part ways with the Lions early in the 2020/21 season after Emiliano Martinez joined the club. Overall, Nyland made 36 appearances in all competitions and kept eight clean sheets.
Following his departure from the West Midlands club, he expressed his gratitude despite not being the first-choice goalkeeper and rarely playing regularly.
“I would like to thank Aston Villa for fulfilling my boyhood dream of playing in the Premier League. Together we have shared great memories I will remember for the rest of my life, helping the club back to where it belongs, staying up and reaching a cup final at Wembley.”
The Volda-born goalkeeper has made 75 international appearances, keeping 26 clean sheets. The 2026 World Cup is his first major international tournament. He made his senior debut for Norway against Scotland in 2013.
Nyland almost helped his country qualify for Euro 2016. Sadly, Norway slumped to a 3-1 on aggregate by Hungary in the play-offs. From November 2019 to 2021, the former RB Leipzig goalkeeper lost his place in the national team due to poor form at club level and injuries.
Since 2021, he has regained his place, although he endured mixed spells with Bournemouth, Norwich City, RB Leipzig and Reading. Nyland became Sevilla’s first-choice goalkeeper during the 2023/24 and 2024/25 seasons but dropped down the pecking order behind loanee Odysseas Vlachodimos last season. His contract with the La Liga side has now expired, leaving him a free agent.
At the World Cup, Nyland has made 11 saves in total, four of them coming in the crucial victory over Brazil. He is set to face England at the weekend and will be hoping to produce another outstanding performance, just as he did in the previous outing.
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