According to the report, Solbakken was a 33-year-old Copenhagen midfielder when he collapsed on 13 March 2001. He was taken to hospital, remained unconscious for 26 hours and later received a pacemaker. His playing career was over.
Solbakken later recalled that “as luzes se apagaram”. He had no memory of the collapse, but the episode left a deep mark on his family, who feared the worst while he was unconscious.
Before moving into management, Solbakken had spells with Wimbledon and Aalborg, where he became captain and won the Danish league. He then built his reputation at Copenhagen, first as a player and later as a coach.
A short period at Wolves in 2012 proved far less successful. The report says his counterattacking approach lost momentum, with the club sliding down the Championship table before his dismissal. It was a setback, but not the end of his managerial career.
Solbakken returned to Copenhagen in 2013, adding further Danish titles and establishing himself as one of the country’s defining modern coaches.
Appointed Norway manager in December 2020, Solbakken faced renewed scrutiny after the failure to reach Euro 2024. The report says he had admitted he might resign if Norway failed to end its long wait for World Cup qualification.
The response has reportedly been emphatic. Norway won every qualifying match, with Erling Haaland driving the attack, and Solbakken’s standing has changed dramatically.
From a player whose heart stopped on a Copenhagen pitch to a coach taking Norway back to football’s biggest stage, his story is unlike any other. The 2026 World Cup will provide the next test - and perhaps the defining chapter of his remarkable recovery.