Norway manager Stale Solbakken will lead his team against England in the World Cup quarter-final in Miami on Saturday night. Since taking charge in 2020, Solbakken has revitalized the national side, guiding them to their first major tournament in 26 years. Norway currently ranks 19th in the world, one of its highest positions ever, aided by stars like Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard.
Life-Threatening Heart Attack in 2001
Solbakken’s life could have taken a tragic turn on March 13, 2001. Then a 33-year-old midfielder for Danish club Copenhagen, he suffered a heart attack during a training session. Club doctor Frank Odgaard rushed to his side and administered cardiac massage in front of the stunned squad until an ambulance arrived. Upon reaching the ambulance, Solbakken was pronounced clinically dead after his heart stopped for seven minutes.
Incredibly, he was revived in the ambulance and placed on a life-support machine for 26 hours before gradually regaining consciousness. Doctors later discovered he had been born with a heart defect. Solbakken was fitted with a pacemaker, which he still wears, and subsequently retired from football.
Family Trauma and Recovery
Solbakken recalls nothing from the incident, saying, “It was simply as if the lights went out.” He added, “For those who saw all this, what they went through must have been a trauma. My wife still cannot talk about it, even though so many years have passed. At that moment she was left alone with two children — four and one years old.” His mother even began planning his funeral on the flight to Denmark. “At first they worried whether I would survive. Then — whether my brain would be damaged,” he said.
Second Heart Scare in 2009
After retiring, Solbakken turned to coaching. During his first spell as Copenhagen manager in 2009, his heart stopped again. He recalled, “I was running across the pitch and suddenly felt my body go weak. What the hell is going on? I thought. And then I was simply knocked to the ground.” The pacemaker saved his life once more.
Pacemaker Interference Before 2026 World Cup
On the eve of the 2026 World Cup, Solbakken experienced another scare during an interview when his pacemaker began vibrating. He said, “My pacemaker suddenly started vibrating. That had not happened since 2009. I had everything checked, now everything is fine and I am calm.” It was later determined that a journalist’s microphone had inadvertently interfered with the device.
Thriving Despite Health Issues
Despite these incidents, Solbakken no longer considers his heart condition a problem. “I live perfectly well with the pacemaker, which kicks in as soon as the heart starts beating incorrectly. I do not feel any pain, I have no consequences except for the scar on my chest where the device is placed. I consider myself to have got off very lightly,” he said. He has forged a successful coaching career, aside from a brief stint at Wolves in 2012, and now leads Norway into a historic World Cup campaign.
