The man widely regarded as the greatest chess player to ever grace the chessboard said he hoped Norway’s return to the World Cup would be “the new normal” for the international team.
Magnus Carlsen – a Real Madrid fan – also shared his joy at Jose Mourinho returning to the Bernabeu for the second time.
Currently in Hong Kong for the FIDE Rapid and Blitz Chess World Team Championship, which ends on Sunday, Carlsen revealed that he grew up thinking of Norway as a world football power.
“We went to the World Cup in 1994. I was too young to follow them, but in 1998 and the 2000 European Championship, I followed a lot and thought we will always be here,” said the 35-year-old player from Tonsberg. “I thought this was normal, but it turned out not to be.
“At this point, everyone is incredibly excited for us. Maybe this will be the new normal. Not yet, but we’re all very excited.”
With his home country playing in their first World Cup in 28 years, Norway’s No. 1 player told the South China Morning Post why the 1998 international football shows in France and Hong Kong are special to him.
