​Norway’s head coach Stale Solbakken indicated that several players have been battling illness as the team gears up for a World Cup quarter-final against England on Saturday. After a month filled with travel, intense training sessions, and high-stakes matches, the squad’s health is starting to show the strain, Solbakken said.
Striker Jorgen Strand Larsen is among the players dealing with health issues, according to Solbakken. “We’ve really only had Jorgen who has had a fever, but there has also been some coughing and rasping around the group,” he told reporters. “Air conditioning, long flights, and varying changing room conditions all contribute. With a squad of 50 people traveling, it wouldn’t be surprising if something crops up.”
Marcus Holmgren Pedersen missed Norway’s 2-1 victory over Brazil in the last-16 round due to illness, and Solbakken suggested that the intensity and pressure of the World Cup experience might have played a part in his absence. “I’m not a doctor, but I’d say it’s a mix of factors for the boy,” he explained. “He’s young, he arrived at the World Cup believing he’d be a backup for Julian (Ryerson), he’s played two matches and performed well, which has him mentally and physically stimulated. The combination of being at a peak moment, processing a flood of impressions, and the system placing demands on him can take a toll, and even the best preparations can feel stressed by the moment.”
As the urgency of Friday’s and Saturday’s matches looms, Solbakken emphasized that the team remains focused on competing at the highest level while managing the health challenges that come with a long, demanding tournament. He acknowledged the reality that the traveling party’s size and the nature of modern football travel create environments where minor illnesses can spread, but he stressed the importance of keeping players as fresh and available as possible for the decisive fixtures ahead.
The Norwegian camp continues to monitor the players’ conditions closely, with medical staff and coaching personnel collaborating to optimize recovery and minimize disruption. Fans and analysts alike will be watching to see if the squad can maintain its performance level despite the health bumps along the road, as they aim to advance further in the tournament and keep their campaign on track.
For more on the World Cup developments and Norway’s path ahead, refer to the original HuffPost coverage.