Home
+
Published : 07 Jul 2026, 04:16 AM
Norway's Stale Solbakken found it hard to sleep after their thrilling 2-1 World Cup last-16 win over Brazil on Sunday, with the coach revealing that a gracious gift from his opposite number Carlo Ancelotti put an end to a spat over a video clip.
Prior to the game, many Brazilian fans were provoked by a clip of Solbakken saying "Carlo Ancelotti, we're coming for you!" following Norway's last-32 victory over the Ivory Coast, but their 58-year-old coach said it was taken out of context and it appears there were no hard feelings from Ancelotti.
"I can say that he (Ancelotti) showed his enormous greatness after the match. He sent a representative in with a Brazilian shirt with my name on the back and a greeting. So it was strong stuff," Solbakken told reporters on Monday.
Striker Erling Haaland scored twice to send the Norwegians into the quarter-finals for the first time where they face England in Miami on Saturday, and Solbakken allowed his players and coaches a night off to rejoice while he struggled to sleep.
"I let the support staff celebrate for themselves. I was too tired, so I went to bed and watched the game again, and then I scrolled a little here and there and answered a few texts, and slept very little. But it was a good morning," Solbakken said.
The coach said he had not exactly given his players a free hand to celebrate their historic win, but that he expected they would be able to enjoy themselves anyway.
"They decide these things themselves, it's freedom with responsibility. It always is, these boys manage that just fine," he added.
