Solbakken Message: "It's Starting to Burn a Bit on the Toilet Now"

Norwegian midfielder Morten Thorsby has revealed the intense mental battle he faced after an injury threatened to derail his World Cup aspirations. The 30-year-old player feared his dream of playing in the World Cup was slipping away following an injury sustained during a match against Switzerland at Ullevaal stadium.

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I completely lost it, because I realized the World Cup could actually be ruined.

"I completely lost it, because I realized the World Cup could actually be ruined," Thorsby recounted in the "Mørch og VM" podcast. He reached out to national team coach Ståle Solbakken, expressing his readiness to play despite limited game time after his injury layoff. Solbakken's response was encouraging: "Yes, I've seen it Morten. I was going to call you. It's starting to burn a bit on the toilet now, but the train hasn't left yet."

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Yes, I've seen it Morten. I was going to call you. It's starting to burn a bit on the toilet now, but the train hasn't left yet.

Thorsby had recently moved to Cremonese to increase his chances of being selected for the World Cup squad. However, shortly after joining, he felt a twinge in his calf during his first match back, leading to renewed fears of missing the tournament. The mental toll was significant, with Thorsby describing it as a "depressive phase" where his thoughts became destructive.

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Damn, the World Cup is going to be ruined now.

Despite the setbacks, Thorsby fought his way back. He played the final 30 minutes of his team's second-to-last game and started in the decisive final match, playing 83 minutes. Although Cremonese was relegated, Thorsby's strong performance earned him a place in Norway's World Cup squad, adding to his 31 international caps.

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It was a 'depressive phase' and I was emotionally very low.