Norway barely made the World Cup. Then they beat Brazil. Now they are in the quarterfinals for the first time in their history. This is not a cute story anymore. This is a real team with a real shot at the final.
It started with a 4-1 win over Iraq. Then a wild 3-2 win over Senegal. Then a loss to France that could have derailed everything. Instead, Norway knocked out Ivory Coast in the Round of 16 and took down Brazil 2-1 in the quarters. That Brazil team had Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo and a whole lot of hype. Norway didn’t care.
Erling Haaland has seven goals in this tournament. That ties him with Kylian Mbappe. Only Lionel Messi, with eight, is ahead in the Golden Boot race. Haaland has scored in every knockout game and in all but one match overall. He bagged two against Iraq, two against Senegal, the winner against Ivory Coast, and two more against Brazil. He has scored in 14 straight international games. Norway has lost two of their last 20. Haaland missed both.
After the Brazil win, Haaland was about as emotional as he ever gets. “This is just an insane day. It’s one of the most insane days in Norwegian history,” he told reporters. “Just enjoy it, embrace it and enjoy the moment.”
But here is the part people outside Norway might miss. This team is not just Haaland. Goalkeeper Orjan Nyland saved a penalty against Brazil and made a handful of other huge stops. The midfield of Patrick Berg, Sander Berge, and Martin Odegaard is disciplined and smart. They don’t just chase the game. They control it. Antonio Nusa and Alexander Sorloth can create chances on their own. The supporting cast is legit.
Norway faces England in the quarterfinals. England needed a penalty shootout to get past Mexico in the Round of 16. They looked shaky against Croatia and DR Congo before that. England is beatable. Norway believes it.
Win that game and the bracket opens up. The winner of Norway-England gets Argentina or Switzerland in the semifinals. That could set up Haaland vs. Messi with a spot in the final on the line. For a team that had never made a World Cup quarterfinal before this week, that would be absurd. But nothing about this run suggests Norway is happy just being here.
Haaland wants the Golden Boot. To catch Messi, Norway has to keep winning. That is a pretty strong motivator. England is the favorite on paper. Argentina or Switzerland would be too. But this Norway team has the profile of a squad built to go deep. World-class finisher. Composed midfield. Reliable keeper. Belief that comes from beating the best.
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