Norway doctor clears squad of illness sickness fears ahead of England World Cup quarter-final

Norway’s team doctor has dismissed illness concerns ahead of the country’s World Cup quarter-final against England in Miami on Saturday, confirming the squad is fully fit after a week of speculation.

Rumours of a sickness bug circulating through the Norway camp emerged after manager Stale Solbakken raised health concerns about players Marcus Pedersen and Jorgen Strand Larsen following their 2-1 victory over Brazil. However, team doctor Ola Sand moved quickly to put those fears to rest, telling Norwegian outlet Nettavisen: “All players are healthy now. Very little fuss, considering that we have been close together for almost six weeks. So great that they believe this [the sickness bug rumour]. We are in control.”

Solbakken had initially sparked the speculation during his post-match press conference in New Jersey, where he described the physical toll of travelling thousands of miles across the United States. He confirmed that Strand Larsen had suffered a fever, while Pedersen felt unwell on the morning of the Brazil match. “We’ve really only had Jorgen who has had a fever,” Solbakken said. “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.”

Beyond the health situation, both squads face a significant environmental challenge in Miami. Temperatures are forecast to reach 35 degrees Celsius, with a risk of isolated thunderstorms that could disrupt the fixture — conditions England have already encountered during this tournament. Thomas Tuchel’s side experienced a delayed kick-off against Mexico in their 3-2 win due to lightning strikes, and also managed the heat during their 2-1 victory over DR Congo.

England head into the quarter-final carrying their own fitness concerns, with Reece James and Jordan Henderson both managing injuries. Norway, meanwhile, will lean heavily on Erling Haaland as they look to produce another major upset after eliminating Brazil.