A sickness bug has swept through the Norway camp, leaving the team doctor ‘very busy’ and forcing the squad to relocate from their Miami hotel just days before Saturday night’s World Cup quarter-final against England at Miami Stadium.
Goalkeeper Orjan Nyland confirmed the illness on Tuesday night, saying: “I can confirm that it's true, we've had our issues, we're doing the best we can and the team doctor is very busy at the moment. I have no idea what the source was, we did have some time off so maybe someone contracted something.”
“Norway's World Cup preparations disrupted by sickness bug, hotel issues and a player complaint before England quarter-final.”
The disruption did not end there. Members of the squad were frustrated by noise and basic logistical issues at The Dalmar, their five-star hotel in Fort Lauderdale, prompting an official complaint to World Cup organisers FIFA. Norway were forced to move out of their Miami hotel entirely.
Adding to the tension, Alexander Sorloth’s father has revealed the Atletico Madrid striker is ‘irritated’ at being substituted. “He gets irritated about being taken off, he should be every day all year round, regardless of whether it's the World Cup, the European Championship or a regular international match,” he said.
Norway arrive at this stage after stunning Brazil in the last 16, a result that BBC Sport football expert Chris Sutton correctly predicted. England, meanwhile, beat Mexico to set up the tie. Sutton has backed France to win the tournament but faces a tricky call on the England-Norway clash.
With Erling Haaland leading the line, Norway remain a formidable threat, but the off-field chaos raises questions about their focus. Can they put the distractions aside against an England side waiting to pounce?