Norway Team Faces Health Scare Ahead of World Cup Quarterfinal Against England

The Norwegian national football team, a powerhouse from Northern Europe that advanced to the quarterfinals after defeating Brazil in the Round of 16 of the North and Central American World Cup, is on high alert.

The British newspaper The Sun reported that "several Norway players are suffering from health issues just days before their World Cup quarterfinal match against England."

Norwegian media outlets also previously reported that there is a tense atmosphere within the team, as several players are not in peak physical condition.

Norway forward Jorgen Strand Larsen was unable to participate in training due to a fever ahead of the team's first group stage match against Iraq.

Marcus Holmgren Pedersen, who scored in the second group stage match against Senegal, also missed the game against Brazil due to illness.

Norway head coach Stale Solbakken, who was seen coughing severely during a press conference, acknowledged the illness within the squad but attributed it to a grueling schedule caused by long-distance travel.

"Larsen was the only player who had a fever," Solbakken said. "There is air conditioning, we have to keep flying, and there is a lot of travel, so many players are coughing."

"Our squad and staff combined number over 50 people," he added. "It would be strange if nothing happened in such a situation."

Concerns have also been raised regarding the team's celebrations after defeating Brazil.

Questions have been asked about whether the players were given too much freedom following the victory.

After the win against Brazil, Norway's star striker Erling Haaland was seen in the locker room shirtless, hugging Princess Alexandra, who is second in line to the Norwegian throne.

A representative for the Norwegian national team stated, "We plan to focus on recovering our condition as much as possible over the approximately three days leading up to the match against England."

Reported by Kim Jiuk | Video by Jang Yu-jin | Graphics by Yang Hye-min | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.