The Norway coach explains the truth about his provocative message to Ancelotti

What did Solbakken say about the veteran coach?

Norway coach Stalle Solbakken has broken his silence by explaining that his latest statement before the World Cup round of 16, which was widely shared by Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti, was not a provocation.

A video released by the Norwegian Football Association showed Solbakken giving a rousing speech to his players after their 2-1 win over Ivory Coast, ending his speech with the words: “Hold on, Carlo Ancelotti, we’re coming to you.” The clip sparked widespread controversy and was seen by some as a challenge to the Italian coach ahead of the upcoming clash.

But Solbakken was quick to clarify the situation In a conversation with journalists On Wednesday, stressing that the question was “far from provocative”, he said: “Ancelotti, along with Guardiola, Mourinho and one or two others, is probably the greatest coach in the history of European football. Historically, I have respect for him.”

The Norwegian coach revealed his good relationship with the Italian, noting that he met him several times when he was leading Copenhagen in the Champions League matches between Chelsea and Real Madrid.

He added: “He’s a great person with a great sense of humor and we have a lot of respect for him and Brazil. So I think they can see the funny side of things. It wasn’t an in-depth analysis.”

Regarding his memories of Norway’s 1998 World Cup group stage win over Brazil when he was a player, Solbakken concluded: “It was too early to affect Sunday’s game.

Stale Solbakken in the dressing room after the game.

"You are not only changing the history of Norwegian football, but also the history of Norway as a whole"

"And wait, Carlo Ancelotti, we’re coming to you" 😂pic.twitter.com/bP20qVfTN0

— Central Norway 🇳🇴🇧🇷 (@CentralNorge) July 1, 2026

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