England are facing an uneasy build-up to their World Cup quarter-final against Norway after a viral infection struck their training camp in Miami. Midfielder Declan Rice has missed two consecutive training sessions, leaving manager Thomas Tuchel deeply concerned about his availability while the medical team races to contain the illness before it spreads within the squad.
Rice’s absence has caused a stir within the England camp ahead of Saturday’s high-stakes encounter. The 27-year-old midfielder is reportedly suffering from a stomach bug, and according to BBC sources, his condition has been further complicated by an ongoing neural issue affecting his hamstring and lower back. The Three Lions’ medical staff are taking swift preventive measures to isolate the situation, while Tuchel must also assess the fitness of defender Marc Guehi, who is recovering from a hamstring problem.
Meanwhile, reports suggest that a similar health concern briefly affected Norway’s camp in the United States. Norway captain Martin Odegaard confirmed that some players felt under the weather due to sudden temperature shifts but stressed that the situation was not serious. The Arsenal star commented: “Yeah, it’s been a little bit. I think when you change temperature and air conditioning and all that, it’s normal. It’s nothing major to be honest. But yeah, we’ve had a few people feeling a bit sick but nothing major and should be all good for Saturday.”
In response to growing speculation, Norway’s head coach Stale Solbakken quickly dismissed rumours of a spreading illness within his team. The 58-year-old coach clarified that the situation had been blown out of proportion by the media, explaining that everyone in his squad remains in excellent physical condition. Solbakken said: “I think the illness is a rumour. The Odegaard who is sick is Martin’s uncle who’s a physio, he’s sick, it’s not Martin. So everything is fine, every player is fine, so there’s no sickness among the players. There’s one or there’s been one or two in the staff. At this moment, we are all ready to go.”
Saturday’s clash at the Miami Stadium will be a crucial test for England, who are currently on a seven-match unbeaten run. Tuchel will take some comfort from the return of Reece James to full training, strengthening the defence after Jarell Quansah’s suspension due to a red card. However, England’s backline will need to remain vigilant against the threat of Erling Haaland, who has been in sensational form with seven goals so far in the tournament.
