Norway’s big week in World Cup qualifying was marred by players’ admission of illegal video sharing

One of the biggest weeks in Norwegian football for a generation is in danger of being distracted by a leading player’s admission that he is likely to be convicted of sharing an illegal video.

Andreas Schjelderup, the 21-year-old Norwegian winger who plays for Portuguese club Benfica, said on social media over the weekend that he was “ashamed” and prepared to face the consequences of what he described as the “crime” he committed while playing for Danish team Nordsjaelland at the age of 19.

It came following reports in the Danish media that a footballer, who was not named, was accused of sharing sexual material of people under the age of 18.

Schjelderup this week joined the Norwegian team, which is trying to qualify for the men’s World Cup for the first time since 1998. The team, in a line-up that also includes Manchester City star Erling Haaland, leads the qualifying group by three points with two games remaining – against Estonia at home on Thursday and second-placed Italy away on Sunday.

Beating Estonia would all but secure a spot in next year’s tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico due to Norway’s much higher goal difference compared to the Italians.

Lise Klaveness, president of the Norwegian Football Association, told Norwegian media this week that Schjelderup made a “very serious mistake, which entails criminal liability.” She said the federation has been in contact with the player’s lawyers and that Schjelderup’s case will be heard in Denmark on November 19.

Norwegian coach Ståle Solbakken said of Schjelderup that there were “no excuses for what he did” and that the winger had complied with the police “from day one”.

According to the Norwegian daily VGSchjelderup met with his teammates on Monday. One of them, Antonio Nusa, said it had been a stressful time for the team.

In a lengthy statement posted this weekend Instagram — although it no longer appears on his account — Schjelderup said he received the video in question and immediately forwarded it to a friend “without a second thought.”

“I had only seen the first few seconds and didn’t realize what the rest of the video contained,” he wrote. “A few seconds later, my friend told me that sending such a video was obviously illegal, and I immediately deleted it.

«Unfortunately at the time I didn’t think about the consequences and didn’t realize that sharing it could be illegal. I should have understood the seriousness of it, but I didn’t.»

Schjelderup said it was «never the intention to spread anything or cause harm to those involved» and apologized to the people in the video and those close to him, including the Norwegian team, because it will be «an unnecessary distraction … to some of the most important matches in our history.» “I have been charged with this crime,” he said, “and I will likely be convicted soon and most likely given a suspended sentence.

«There are no excuses on my part. What I did in Denmark was illegal and wrong. I take full responsibility for it and I hope that by sharing my story others will learn from it and think twice before forwarding something that should not be shared.»

Both Klaveness and Solbakken said there was no need to drop Schjelderup or receive additional punishment from the team. The Norwegian FA and Klaveness have previously embraced being the conscience of European football on issues such as gender pay equality and FIFA governance.

Schjelderup made his debut for Norway against Kosovo in June last year. He played in the Champions League this season for Benfica, which is currently coached by Jose Mourinho.

Published on November 12, 2025