Manchester United Women endured a chaotic build-up to their Women’s Champions League qualifier in Bergen on Thursday after discovering that a bag containing players’ boots had gone missing during their trip to Norway.
The dramatic oversight forced club officials into a frantic last-minute dash to a local sports store, with just hours to go before kick-off against SK Brann.
Emergency Shopping Trip
Manchester United Women Make History
United trained at Carrington before flying out on a chartered plane from Manchester to Bergen, meaning the absence of boots was not discovered until matchday morning.
By the time the problem was identified, there were fewer than three hours to solve it.
Officials from the club arrived at the well-known Torshov Sport shop shortly after 1:30pm local time, less than three hours before the 4:30pm kick-off.
“We are a big store but they were very lucky we had enough boots in stock that were the right size.
“We are a big store but they were very lucky we had enough boots in stock that were the right size.
They paid between £200 and £230 for each pair of boots and £30 for the shin guards.
They paid between £200 and £230 for each pair of boots and £30 for the shin guards.
We have had the odd player come in because they have left their boots behind but never the entire team.”
We have had the odd player come in because they have left their boots behind but never the entire team.”
According to Gullord, United purchased 15 pairs of boots and 20 sets of shin guards, with the unscheduled spree costing just under £4,000. He added jokingly:
“Maybe we should have told them we only had boots with no studs to help the local team!”
“Maybe we should have told them we only had boots with no studs to help the local team!”
Chaos Before Kick-Off
The disruption clearly unsettled United’s preparations, with midfielder Lisa Naalsund, a Bergen native, confirming to Norwegian TV that she even had to ask her mother to bring spare boots to the stadium.
“There were a few shoes that disappeared,” Naalsund explained. “We haven’t quite figured out where they are yet. It was right before we went to the stadium, so there was a bit of chaos.”
Despite securing the emergency equipment in time, Marc Skinner’s side fell to a 1-0 defeat in the first leg, leaving them with work to do in the return fixture if they are to reach the Champions League main draw for the first time in their history.
United Respond
A Manchester United spokesperson later confirmed the issue, saying:
“A bag containing some of our players’ boots went missing during the journey to Bergen. We are investigating how this happened. In the meantime, we secured new boots of the right make and sizes for all the affected players.”
“A bag containing some of our players’ boots went missing during the journey to Bergen. We are investigating how this happened. In the meantime, we secured new boots of the right make and sizes for all the affected players.”
The club has not yet determined whether the bag was lost in transit or misplaced at some stage during the team’s travel.
Fixture Congestion Adds Pressure
The boot fiasco comes at a crucial moment in United’s season, the squad now face a quick turnaround as they return to England for a Women’s Super League clash against London City Lionesses on Sunday.
The incident has raised eyebrows not just for its unusual nature but also because of the timing — with United’s women’s team striving for historic European progress, minor logistical errors could have major consequences.
Context: Rare but Not Unheard Of
While individual players forgetting boots is not uncommon in football, for an entire team to require replacements on the day of a Champions League qualifier is almost unheard of.
Gullord admitted he had previously seen players drop in to buy emergency kit, but never “a whole squad needing equipment at once.”
The story has since sparked discussion among fans online about club logistics, professionalism, and preparation standards in women’s football, with many calling for greater investment and care to ensure such errors do not happen again on the European stage.
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