Benfica and Norway international Andreas Schjelderup has been charged by Danish police for sharing an illegal video featuring minors two years ago. The 21-year-old admitted the offense in a detailed Instagram statement, expecting a conviction and suspended sentence. His case is set for Copenhagen City Court on November 19, 2025.
Andreas Schjelderup, a 21-year-old forward for Benfica and a seven-cap Norway international, revealed on Instagram that he faces charges for an incident from two years ago when he was 19 and on loan at FC Nordsjaelland in Denmark's SuperLiga.
In his statement, Schjelderup explained that he received a short video and forwarded it to a friend seconds later, mistaking it for a meme like they often shared as teenagers. 'I only saw the first few seconds and not what the video developed into,' he wrote. His friend quickly reminded him it was illegal, prompting him to delete it immediately. Schjelderup emphasized that he did not watch the full video and had no intention to spread or harm anyone, calling it a 'stupid mistake' and a 'one-time' error.
Danish police contacted him earlier this year, and he has cooperated fully, telling them the truth throughout the process. The case will be heard in Copenhagen City Court on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, where he expects to receive a suspended sentence. 'I take full responsibility for what happened and what I've done,' Schjelderup stated, apologizing to those affected by the video, his friends, family, employers, country, and fans.
He expressed regret over the timing, as Norway prepares for crucial World Cup qualifiers next week, and noted he intended to disclose it afterward to avoid distraction. Schjelderup, who scored the winning goal against Bayern Munich in the Club World Cup and recently faced Chelsea in the Champions League, insisted the offense does not reflect his character and urged others not to share harmful content.
Benfica president Rui Costa stated the club will support Schjelderup. Norway manager Stale Solbakken described the act as 'an incredibly foolish thing' but added, 'He has admitted the incident that took place two years ago and is taking responsibility for his actions. I have full confidence that he has learned from this and that he will never do anything like it again. This is a tough situation for Andreas, so we need to take good care of him when he joins the team on Monday.'