Martin Odegaard and Erling Haaland have become entangled in a scandal that has shaken the Norway national team after private messages between the two were leaked and published in a new book.
Although Norway’s lineup features Arsenal captain Odegaard and prolific Manchester City striker Haaland, the national team has not qualified for a major tournament since 2000. Allegations have surfaced that the team used an “ethically questionable loophole” during the coronavirus pandemic to boost their chances of success in the Nations League.
A recently published book, The Battle of the National Team, claims that in November 2020, efforts were made to deceive Norwegian health authorities. In a chapter titled “The Doctor’s Lie,” it is alleged that Norway’s plans were thrown into disarray after Galatasaray defender Omar Elabdellaoui tested positive for Covid-19.
The team doctor, Asle B. Kjellsen, is said to have allowed 19 players, including Odegaard, to travel to their match against Romania from various countries, instead of together from Oslo. This was reportedly possible because Norwegian laws did not apply to foreign athletes. As a result, Odegaard flew in from Spain, while Haaland traveled from Germany.
Leaked messages from a group chat between the two players—published in the book and by NRK—show Haaland sharing a screenshot of the Dagbladet homepage, with NRK questioning whether the team could travel. Odegaard replied with a message that included seven Santa Claus emojis.
However, the plan backfired, as Norway lost 3-0 to Romania and drew with Austria in their next match. Responding to the book’s allegations, Kjellsen told NRK: “Some may see me as a cynical doctor without morals after reading the book. I know that I was loyal to my patients, in this case, the players of the national team.”
The incident has caused controversy and frustration within the Norway squad, with some unhappy about the leak of private messages. Genoa midfielder Morten Thorsby expressed concern, saying, “It’s clear that we don’t want things like this to leak out. I understand very well that people outside are interested in this, but it is something we should keep private, it is important that private messages between us remain in the group.”
Odegaard, meanwhile, is not with the Norway squad as he recovers from an ankle injury sustained during the last international break. Providing an update to Arsenal fans before their win over Southampton, Odegaard said: “In the last week or so I’ve made really good progress. I’m getting better and better by the day and feel it’s going well. When you feel like things are moving forward, it gives you motivation to do more and more and work harder.
“Hopefully, it won’t be much longer. I think we will know more as soon as I get out on the training pitches and we see how my ankle responds to that. At the moment it’s progressing well and it looks better than we were thinking, but we’ve still got to take every day as it comes.”
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