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Norway’s camp has been thrown into disarray by an outbreak of illness as they prepare for their landmark FIFA World Cup quarter-final clash against England. Following their stunning victory over Brazil, Stale Solbakken’s side is now contending with fatigue and a sickness bug, both linked to their extensive travel schedule across the United States ahead of Saturday’s crucial fixture in Miami.

Reports from Norwegian outlet Dagbladet confirmed that illness has affected several members of the Norway squad before their first-ever World Cup quarter-final meeting with England. Forward Jorgen Strand Larsen missed the opening match due to fever, while Marcus Holmgren Pedersen sat out the 2-1 win over Brazil in the Round of 16 with a similar condition. Star striker Erling Haaland, Norway’s top scorer with seven goals, scored twice to propel his nation to their historic quarter-final berth.

Manager Stale Solbakken himself appeared visibly unwell, seen coughing heavily after the 4-1 group stage defeat to France. He expressed concern about the toll constant travel and changing environments have taken on the team’s physical condition.

Speaking about the situation, Solbakken provided clarity on the squad’s health status. “We’ve really only had Jorgen who has had a fever,” he explained. “But then there’s been a bit of coughing and rasping evenly, scattered throughout. But there’s air conditioning, flights, changing rooms and all that. We’re over 50 people so it would be strange if one or the other didn’t come.”

Despite these challenges, Solbakken remains optimistic that Pedersen will recover in time for Saturday’s match. He praised Julian Ryerson for stepping up effectively in Pedersen’s absence, acknowledging the immense physical and mental strain brought on by the intensity of the tournament. Solbakken suggested that Pedersen’s collapse was a result of exhaustion rather than serious illness, describing it as a reaction to the sustained stress of World Cup competition.

Expanding on Pedersen’s situation, Solbakken said: “I think, without being a doctor, that it’s a combination of the boy being young, he’s come to the World Cup and thought, ‘I’m going to be a backup for Julian’. He’s had two games and played great, got a lot of impressions, his head is full, his body is full of impressions, and the system is collapsing a bit.”

Meanwhile, England head into the quarter-finals after a thrilling 3-2 victory over Mexico in their Round of 16 clash. Thomas Tuchel’s team will again rely heavily on captain Harry Kane, who leads England’s scoring charts with six goals. However, their preparations have also been complicated by injury concerns, as Reece James has been ruled out with a hamstring issue.

As Saturday’s showdown approaches, both sides face a race against time to restore full fitness to key players. England aim to continue their pursuit of a second World Cup title after their 1966 triumph, while Norway are hoping to overcome travel fatigue and illness to pull off another historic upset on the world stage.