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Norway head coach Ståle Solbakken has guided his country back to the FIFA World Cup for the first time in 28 years, leading a talented squad featuring Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard to the knockout stages of the 2026 tournament.
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Solbakken is known for his passion on the touchline. Away from football, he is a devoted family man who has shared more than three decades of marriage with his wife, Anniken.
Solbakken’s Wife and The Viral World Cup Moment
Ståle and Anniken Solbakken have been married for more than 30 years.
The couple became a viral phenomenon after Ståle skipped celebrating on the pitch with his team to sprint into the stadium stands and passionately kiss Anniken. This iconic moment happened right after Norway secured a 3-2 victory over Senegal, clinching a historic spot in the World Cup knockout rounds. The emotional moment quickly went viral as it was a beautiful romantic gesture, but to the couple, it represented 25 years of survival and love following a massive life trauma.
In March 2001, while Ståle was playing for FC Copenhagen, he collapsed on the training pitch after suffering a massive heart attack. He was clinically dead for nearly seven minutes before being resuscitated by paramedics.
Norway manager Ståle Solbakken went straight into the stands to kiss his wife right after their win pic.twitter.com/DqB5HBb7zo
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) June 23, 2026
Solbakken’s Children
Ståle and Anniken have three children together.
Sondre Solbakken, the 29-year-old eldest son of Ståle Solbakken, leads a private life in Oslo, where he resides with his partner Emilie and their daughter Eva. Unlike his younger brother Markus, who is a professional footballer, Sondre has built a career in the IT industry as a software development engineer and consultant.
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Their middle child, Markus Solbakken, born in 2000, followed directly in his father’s footsteps by becoming a professional footballer. The midfielder has played professionally in Norway and Denmark and even made his senior debut for the Norwegian national team under his father’s management.
Their youngest daughter, Ida Solbakken, aged 22, is a student nurse.
Ethnicity and Background
Born on February 27, 1968, in Kongsvinger, Solbakken is Norwegian by nationality and of white Norwegian ethnicity.
Before becoming a coach, he enjoyed a great playing career as a midfielder, earning 58 caps for Norway and representing his country at the 1998 FIFA World Cup.
His playing career came to an end in 2001 after suffering that cardiac arrest during a training session with FC Copenhagen. His heart reportedly stopped for around seven minutes before medical staff successfully resuscitated him, an experience that ultimately forced him into retirement.
Solbakken soon transitioned into coaching, enjoying great success with FC Copenhagen before taking charge of Norway in 2020. Under his leadership, Norway finally ended its long World Cup drought by qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and reaching at least the Round of 16.
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This story was originally published July 5, 2026 at 12:45 PM.