The Norwegian national team is surely on an upward trajectory. Norway qualified for the FIFA World Cup only for the fifth time in their history.
The last time they did so was in the 1998 World Cup in France. Without any doubt, Erling Haaland was the standout performer in the entire tournament.
The Norwegian goal machine scored 16 goals in the World Cup qualifiers. He equalled the record of Robert Lewandowski. The Polish star hit 16 goals during the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.
Now, in the Norwegian team, there was an unused substitute whose focus was not only on the pitch but also somewhere else, as the player feared jail time.
According to the BBC, Andreas Schjelderup, the Norwegian international and Benfica winger, received a two-week suspended prison sentence for sharing a 27-second video involving two under-18 boys.
The 21-year-old admitted to forwarding the clip to four friends on Snapchat while playing for Nordsjaelland at the age of 19.
According to the court, Schjelderup will only serve time if he commits another offence within the next 12 months.
His lawyer, Anders Nemeth, said the defence will consider whether to appeal. Benfica president Rui Costa has already expressed support for the player during the process.
At the same time, Schjelderup addressed the situation publicly. In a statement on Instagram, he apologised and called his action a “stupid mistake”.
He said he was prepared to face the consequences and encouraged people not to watch or spread harmful material.
Norway qualified for the 2026 World Cup after a 4-1 win over Italy in Milan, where Schjelderup was an unused substitute.
The case now sits over the young winger as he tries to rebuild trust, refocus his career and move forward from a decision that will follow him for years.
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