Martin Odegaard and Erling Haaland are caught up in a controversy affecting the Norway national team, following the release of private messages in a newly published book. Despite having stars like Arsenal captain Odegaard and Manchester City striker Haaland, Norway has not qualified for a major tournament since 2000. The book, *The Battle of the National Team*, alleges that the team used an “ethically questionable loophole” to gain an advantage in the Nations League during the Covid-19 pandemic.
In a chapter called “The Doctor’s Lie,” it is claimed that in November 2020, after Galatasaray defender Omar Elabdellaoui tested positive for Covid-19, the team tried to evade Norway’s health rules. The team doctor, Asle B. Kjellsen, allegedly allowed 19 players, including Odegaard, to travel individually from outside the country instead of together from Oslo, exploiting a legal exemption that applied to foreign athletes. Odegaard reportedly flew from Madrid, while Haaland traveled from Germany.
Private group chat messages between Odegaard and Haaland, revealed in the book and by Norwegian outlet NRK, show Haaland sharing a screenshot of a news article questioning whether the team could travel. Odegaard replied with a message containing seven Santa Claus emojis, seemingly mocking the situation. However, the preparations did not help, as Norway lost 3-0 to Romania and later drew with Austria. Responding to the allegations, Kjellsen told NRK: “Some may see me as a heartless doctor without ethics after reading the book, but I was loyal to my patients, the national team players.”
The situation has caused friction within the team, especially over the leak of private messages. Genoa midfielder Morten Thorsby said, “We don’t want things like this to be leaked. I understand the public interest, but private group messages should stay private.”
Meanwhile, Odegaard is currently out of the Norway squad due to an ankle injury sustained during the last international break. Giving an update in Arsenal’s match program before their recent win over Southampton, Odegaard said he was making good progress. “I’ve been improving a lot recently. Every day I feel better. Hopefully, I’ll be back soon. We’re waiting to see how my ankle responds to training, but so far, it’s better than expected.”