Norway coach Stale Solbakken has warned that Erling Haaland is showing serious signs of fatigue after a demanding run of matches for club and country.
Haaland was substituted after 67 minutes of Norway’s 2-1 loss to Portugal, with Solbakken describing the striker as physically depleted.
Player workload becomes a wider issue
Top European players now face increasingly dense schedules across domestic leagues, continental competitions, international windows and expanded tournaments.
Norway’s players’ union has called for clearer safeguards around rest and recovery, arguing that athletes should not be left to manage excessive workload on their own.
Manchester City watch recovery closely
Haaland has six days before Manchester City’s next Premier League match against Liverpool.
There is no indication of a major injury, but his condition has renewed debate over fixture congestion and the physical cost of the modern football calendar.
Sources: Norway national-team comments; Reuters, Oct. 5, 2026.
