Norway just did what roughly nobody outside of Scandinavia thought was possible. The underdogs knocked Brazil out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a 2-1 victory at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 5, sending the five-time champions packing in the Round of 16.
It’s Brazil’s earliest World Cup exit since 1990. For a nation that treats football like a state religion, this one stings.
Haaland does Haaland things
For 78 minutes, Brazil controlled the match the way you’d expect from a Carlo Ancelotti-coached squad. Then Erling Haaland remembered he’s Erling Haaland.
The Manchester City striker scored in the 79th minute to give Norway the lead, then doubled up with another goal in the 90th minute. Brazil didn’t go quietly. Neymar Jr. converted a penalty deep into stoppage time at 90+10 minutes to pull one back. But it was too late. The final whistle blew at 2-1, and Norway had secured something the country had never achieved before: a spot in the World Cup quarterfinals.
