Norwegian national team footballer Andreas Schjelderup has been convicted by a Danish court for sharing sexual material involving two minors and was handed a suspended prison sentence. The 21-year-old winger, who currently plays for Portuguese club Benfica, previously represented Danish side FC Nordsjaelland.

Schjelderup admitted during the trial in Copenhagen that he had received the 27-second video via Snapchat and forwarded it to a group chat containing four friends. He said that from the first few seconds, he realized that the individuals in the video were under 18.

“As I forwarded it to my friends, I quickly realised that it was illegal and rapidly deleted the video,” Schjelderup told the court.

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Court Verdict and Sentence

Judge Mathias Eike handed Schjelderup a two-week suspended prison sentence, meaning he will only serve jail time if he commits another crime within the next 12 months. The prosecution had requested at least 20 days in prison.

Schjelderup expressed remorse publicly, issuing a statement on Instagram:

“I want to be open to all of you about a stupid mistake I did. I am deeply sorry for my actions.”

His lawyer, Anders Nemeth, indicated that the defense team would consider whether to appeal the sentence.

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Football Career and International Context

Schjelderup, a promising talent in European football, has played for FC Nordsjaelland in Denmark and currently stars for Benfica in Portugal. Despite the legal proceedings, he was listed as an unused substitute for Norway’s 4-1 victory over Italy in their final qualifying match for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, securing Norway’s spot in the tournament.

This incident has sparked widespread media coverage and discussion about professional athletes’ responsibility and social media conduct.

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Implications and Public Response

The case highlights the dangers of sharing explicit content online, even among peers, and the legal consequences of distributing material involving minors. Authorities in Denmark emphasized the seriousness of the crime, noting that even brief circulation of sexualized content featuring children is strictly punishable under law.

As a rising star in football, Schjelderup’s career may face scrutiny and reputational consequences, despite his current professional commitments.