NORWAY BATTLING SICKNESS BUG BEFORE ENGLAND SHOWDOWN
Norway have been battling illness in their camp before their World Cup showdown against England on Saturday night.
Two players have been laid low during the Scandinavians’ march to their first quarter-final at a major tournament and manager Stale Solbakken has confirmed there has been “coughing and rasping” throughout the 50-plus-strong travelling group of players and staff.
Jorgen Strand Larsen, the Crystal Palace forward, missed Norway’s opening game against Iraq through illness, while Marcus Holmgren Pedersen was absent from their last-16 win over Brazil with a bug. Solbakken was also coughing violently at a press conference after Norway’s 4-1 defeat by France.
After the 2-1 win over Brazil, the Norway manager was pictured in the dressing room and said to Erling Haaland: “You can go out tonight.” Leeds-born Haaland is on a collision course with England this weekend, with the World Cup Golden Boot in his sights. He is in a three-way tie with Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé on seven goals.
In comments reported by Norwegian outlet Dagbladet, Solbakken said: “We’ve really only had Jorgen who has had a fever. But then there’s been a bit of coughing and rasping evenly, scattered throughout.
“There’s air conditioning, flights, changing rooms and all that. We’re over 50 people so it would be strange if one or the other didn’t come.”
Expanding on defender Pedersen’s absence against Brazil, he added: “He didn’t have a fever and was training, but he felt like his body wasn’t quite keeping up. Ola [Sand, team doctor] talked to him in the morning and he was fine. Then I think it crept up on him – that he felt a little worse.
“I think, without being a doctor, that it’s a combination of the boy being young, he’s come to the World Cup and thought, ‘I’m going to be a back-up for Julian [Ryerson]’. He’s had two games and played great, got a lot of impressions, his head is full, his body is full of impressions, and the system is collapsing a bit.”
After their victory against Brazil, Solbakken allowed his players and coaches a night off.
“I let the support staff celebrate for themselves,” he said. “I was too tired, so I went to bed and watched the game again, and then I scrolled a little here and there and answered a few texts, and slept very little. But it was a good morning.”
England are enjoying a couple of days off before attention turns to Saturday’s quarter-final with Norway in Miami at 10pm UK time.
Thomas Tuchel’s side produced one of their best World Cup results in recent memory as they overcame all manner of obstacles to defeat co-hosts Mexico 3-2.
They did it battling high altitude, a vociferous home crowd and Jarell Quansah’s red card early in the second half, and the exhausted players collapsed on the pitch at full time as they held on with 10 men.
Harry Kane, the captain, said: “Into the next round. Incredible night, we appreciate the support, I know we had loads in the stadium and loads watching back home staying up late. The connection with everyone is even stronger now and we feel that more than ever.
“We recover now, we calm down, we have a couple of days relaxing and then obviously get prepared for a massive quarter-final.”
Solbakken added: “We have to study England, but obviously we have seen them in their previous games in the tournament and they will be a very strong opponent. Hopefully it will be a very even and tight game.”
2026-07-07T12:35:47Z
