Norway players have been affected by a sickness bug ahead of Saturday's World Cup quarter-final against England. According to reports, several members of the squad have experienced flu-like symptoms during the tournament.
Manager confirms illness in camp
Manager Stale Solbakken confirmed that illness has circulated through the camp, although he is hopeful the situation is improving ahead of the last-eight tie in Miami. According to Norwegian outlet Dagbladet, striker Jorgen Strand Larsen missed Norway's opening match after falling ill, and defender Marcus Holmgren Pedersen was unavailable for the last-16 victory over Brazil because of sickness.
Solbakken has also appeared under the weather during recent media appearances but played down concerns over the overall condition of his squad. "We've had a few players who haven't been feeling well, but things are getting better," Solbakken said. "It's not ideal during a tournament, but we're managing the situation."
Travel demands may have contributed
Solbakken believes the demands of playing and then travelling between host cities may have contributed to the illness affecting several players. Norway have exceeded expectations in reaching the quarter-finals, producing one of the tournament's biggest upsets by eliminating Brazil. Erling Haaland scored twice in the 2-1 victory, helping send his country into the last eight of the World Cup for the first time.
England's own selection concerns
England booked their place in the quarter-finals with a 3-2 win over Mexico after coming through a dramatic Round of 16 encounter. Thomas Tuchel's side have their own selection concerns before the meeting with Norway. Defender Jarell Quansah is suspended after his red card against Mexico, Jordan Henderson is expected to miss the remainder of the tournament with a suspected broken wrist, and Reece James is being assessed after suffering a hamstring injury.
England are aiming to reach the World Cup semi-finals for the first time since 2018, while Norway are looking to continue what has already been a memorable campaign. The winners of Saturday's quarter-final will face either Argentina, Egypt, Switzerland or Colombia in the semi-finals.
