Why Thelo Aasgaard can turn stunning international achievement into success at Rangers
Thelo Aasgaard’s success for Norway could not be a bigger contrast to his form at Rangers.
The Norwegian midfielder came on as a substitute during his country’s 4-1 demolition of Italy on Sunday, marking the first time they have qualified for a World Cup since 1998.
Aasgaard scored four goals in the 11-1 win over Moldova on 9 September, and he is now nailed on to feature at the 2026 World Cup in North America.
Aasgaard joined Rangers from Luton for £3.5m in the summer, yet the attacking midfielder has struggled to start firing at Ibrox.
However, despite only scoring one goal in all competitions for the Bears, there is huge potential for the talented midfielder to be a success in Govan.
Thelo Aasgaard has shown glimpses of promise for Rangers
Aasgaard enjoyed a brilliant 2024-25 season, excelling at Wigan, before performing well at Luton after his January move despite their relegation to League One.
Aasgaard’s quality on the ball has been excellent, ranking second for the most successful dribbles per 90 minutes of players who have made five or more appearances in the Scottish Premiership this season.
However, the final pass has not come off in key moments, and his output in the final third has been overwhelming.
| Stat | Thelo Aasgaard |
| Appearances | 9 |
| Goals | 1 |
| Assists | 1 |
| Dribble success rate | 66.7% |
| Pass accuracy | 82.8% |
Aasgaard registered four goals and one assist for Norway in five appearances as they topped their World Cup qualifying group.
However, Aasgaard’s only Rangers goal came against Dundee United, where he sublimely curled a finish past goalkeeper Yevhenii Kucherenko after a dazzling run.
The 23-year-old has been one of the victims of Russell Martin’s insipid style of play at the start of the season, but it’s up to him to show his value in the months leading up to the World Cup.
Aasgaard’s performances for Norway should give Rangers fans confidence, and it is now up to him to perform under Danny Rohl.
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How can Danny Rohl get the best out of him?
Aasgaard was sent off in the Premier Sports Cup semi-final defeat to Celtic, and he has since been named as a substitute in the matches against Roma and Dundee.
With Rohl deploying a 3-4-3 system, Aasgaard’s best hope of gaining consistent starts would be on the left side of the attack.
However, Mikey Moore’s renaissance in a Rangers shirt will leave him facing an uphill battle to regain his starting place.
Aasgaard will need to prove himself in training if he wants to have the best chance of going into the 2026 World Cup in a rich vein of form.
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