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As Fulham finalise their preparations for Sunday’s trip to Manchester United in the fifth round of the FA Cup, Sander Berge is thinking about how to handle adversity. “It taught me a lot about myself,” the midfielder says, recalling how spirits could have sagged when he was part of unsuccessful fights for survival with Burnley and Sheffield United.
“When you’re struggling every day it’s difficult. That’s a time to show character more than ever. You demand the ball, you take pride in going out there and showing you have the ability to stay at that level. It’s about who you want to be.”
The aim for Berge was to establish himself as a Premier League player after dropping out of the top flight with Sheffield United in 2021 and Burnley last season. The Norway international talks about “growing a lot” and he is loving life at Fulham. There is a “very nice family feeling” around the club, Berge says, but it is also “a hard-working environment”.
Marco Silva, Fulham’s manager, does not want anyone to settle. “We have a coach who demands a lot and doesn’t set limits,” Berge says. “We set the bar high.”
Fulham, who are ninth in the Premier League, only five points behind fourth-placed Manchester City and therefore dark horses for European qualification, have moved on from losing João Palhinha to Bayern Munich last summer. Berge has filled the gap left by the Portugal midfielder since joining from Burnley for £25m. The 27-year-old has made 23 appearances in all competitions and has impressed with his perceptive passing, strength and unfussy interceptions.
Berge talks about evolving as a player. He played a key role in Sheffield United going up in 2022-23 but there was surprise when he swapped one promoted team for another before the start of the following campaign. “It is not the usual move,” he admits. The key, though, was the chance to play for Vincent Kompany. Berge found positives, even though Burnley joined the Blades in going straight back down.
“It was very special,” the Norwegian says of playing for Kompany, now the head coach of Bayern Munich. “His CV says a lot, playing for Pep Guardiola at Manchester City and winning so much. It was a little bit of a gamechanger in my career, joining Burnley when I was 26.
“From the outside it could look strange. But having discussions with Vincent and seeing how Burnley wanted to play and the way he saw me, where I could go on to play if I had the time under him, working every day to the highest standard possible and the level of detail in our work, that was something unique. I learned so much and it changed a lot how I look at football, tactically, technically, mentally.
“One thing is just seeing how the game flows but another is understanding why certain things happen and how to gain advantages all over the pitch. He wanted players to be a coach themselves in many ways. He is a huge believer that if you understand the game as a collective it’s easier to coach each other and be one step ahead. He wanted us to be gelled together. The demands are high, but when you do it every day over a long time, the same as Marco does, you’ll see results.”
Berge is interesting on the role of the No 6. He is imposing at 6ft 5in but is not a born destroyer. “I’m not a jack of all trades, but if you look at my career I’ve been a little bit everywhere,” he says. “I’ve been on the right wing for my national team against Spain. I played as a 10 and a high No 8 in the 5-3-2 at Sheffield United.
“I came as a 6 in Belgium for three years. Before in Norway I played as a 6, but also played sometimes centre-half. I could play as a 10. You see a big guy like me playing in the 6, you think he’s a demolisher. He’s more breaking up play and when the play gets going he’s just there in the middle of the pitch. When I was younger people looked more at what I did with the ball.”
Now he views himself as a facilitator, freeing his teammates with his positional play and discipline. It is about taking control of the midfield battle. “I watched a lot of Palhinha and Rodri last year,” Berge says. “The game off the ball is huge in today’s football and I can be more brutal, more nasty and more aggressive. Maybe I don’t look that aggressive. I try to win balls but maybe more the clean way so I’m trying to mix that up a bit.”
By being nastier? “You need that. In the 6 you’re covering a lot of ground and football these days is a lot of counterattacks. In the middle you have to be strong and I think I’ve added that to my game to win more duels.
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“Sometimes it takes more brutality, more aggression. I have the strength to do it. But the thing is getting there. I’ve grown up in Norway where it’s more artificial grass, less duels, you never get up to someone because it’s so quick. The ball never bounces. Second balls aren’t there. You’re more on ice skates when you press someone, while here you get contact with the grass. That’s more the English game, a big thing in the Premier League.”
Once a long-ball nation, Norway have become more technical. Berge points to Oscar Bobb, Martin Ødegaard and Antonio Nusa. With Erling Haaland up front, the target is to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. It would be Norway’s first appearance at a tournament since Euro 2000. “It’s sort of a little golden generation,” Berge says.
He is self-assured. Berge started his career at Vålerenga and moved to Genk when he was 17. He won the Belgian title in 2019, caught Jürgen Klopp’s eye after facing Liverpool in the Champions League and joined Sheffield United in January 2020. He has seized opportunities and comes from a family of athletes. His grandfather was a footballer but Berge’s parents and older brother played international basketball.
“The basketball route is difficult in Norway because barely anyone is playing,” Berge says. His brother, Aksel, moved to the United States to play at Northern Illinois University. “We went over every Christmas and watched them play against the top teams in the country,” Berge says. He calls Aksel a role model but there was only one winner when it came to choosing between basketball and football.
Playing basketball in his youth, though, has made Berge a better footballer. “It helped my footwork,” he says. “It’s different, the harder surface, the way you move your feet. Normally when you’re this tall you would be a centre-half or striker. It’s made me lighter on my feet. I can turn a bit nicer than a usual guy.”
Fulham will need Berge at his smoothest at Old Trafford. United, who scouted the Norwegian last summer, have recorded 1-0 home and away wins over Silva’s side in the league this season. This is another test for Fulham, who have been good against the top teams and frustrating in the so-called winnable games. “We want to go all the way,” Berge says. “If we are at our level we can beat anyone.”
