Norway’s historic World Cup run has been plagued by unexpected setbacks just days before their quarterfinal showdown against England, as the team is battling both illness and a chaotic hotel relocation in Florida.
As a result of winning the round-of-16 shock upset against Brazil, Norway enjoyed some time off before their quarter-final match on Saturday. Nevertheless, this period has not been relaxing at all. The manager of Norway, Stale Solbakken, stated, “a couple of the boys” were suffering from illnesses. This added to pre-existing health issues, which saw Jorgen Strand Larsen and Marcus Holmgren Pedersen being out of the tournament.
Compounding the team’s troubles, Norway was forced to abruptly change hotels after just one night at The Dalmar in Fort Lauderdale. Reports suggest that the excessive noise from nearby construction prompted complaints from players, leading to sudden relocation.
This decision was explained by Norway’s logistics manager Truls Daehli, who said that the decision was also influenced by the team’s desire to avoid “cabin fever” during their extended stay with the original hotel located three miles from the beach. FIFA continues to cover accommodation costs, with Norway’s federation covering the difference for the pricier new hotel.
He also told reporters: “Everything is fine, every player is fine, there’s no sickness among the players.”
However, whoever wins the quarterfinal game that will take place on Saturday between England and Norway may become a real challenger for the entire championship. Norway has an excellent chance of becoming victorious, especially considering their main player, Erling Haaland.
2026-07-09 23:55:00
