Klinsmann warns squad discord may cause issues for Norway during World Cup

Klinsmann possesses extensive background from top tournaments in roles as both player and manager. He is now alerting Norway to a key challenge prior to the FIFA World Cup this summer.

The renowned German football figure is present in Norway for a conference on the sport held at the nations Ullevaal stadium, and during Thursday he cautioned manager Stale Solbakken that dissatisfied team members in the World Cup group could bring difficulties for Norway in the esteemed competition.

"Maintaining high spirits within the team must be a daily priority. This holds true even on tough days for individuals, amid disputes among players or with staff members, or when press generates distractions", states Klinsmann as reported by NRK.

"Managing these internal disputes and so called 'man-management' represents a crucial duty for any manager", added Jürgen Klinsmann while delivering a direct alert to Solbakken.

Klinsmann who guided Germany in 2006 and the United States in 2014 at the World Cup has highlighted the need to ensure contentment among every member of the squad.

It proves especially vital to satisfy those not receiving match minutes. Several years back the tournament rosters grew from 22 to 26 players. This change complicates matters further in Klinsmanns view.

"The recent increase in squad size from 22 to 26 players did not appeal to me. Nor did the shift allowing five substitutions per game rather than three. Such rules introduce extra complications."

"Preferring to handle 22 or 23 players allows fewer disappointments. And opting for three reliable substitutions beats adding two late changes just to run down the clock", explains Klinsmann.

Norway meets Iraq in their opening fixture of the 2026 World Cup on 17 June.