Norway is in the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time since 1998. And the guy who got them there? He grabbed a pair of drumsticks and turned the stadium into a rowing crew.
Erling Haaland scored twice against Brazil on Sunday, knocking out the five-time champions and pushing Norway into the final eight. That puts him tied for the tournament lead with seven goals. But the moment people are still talking about happened after the final whistle.
Captain Martin Ødegaard handed Haaland the drumsticks. The big striker jumped up on something — a platform, a table, doesn’t matter — and started leading the crowd in that classic Norwegian viking-style rowing chant. Arms moving in unison. The whole stadium going with it. Fans back home posted videos of themselves doing the same thing from their living rooms.
The celebration that stole the show
Broadcast cameras caught it all. Haaland pounding the drum. The roar of the crowd. Norway’s players joined in behind him, a pack of guys who looked like they couldn’t believe what they just pulled off. And honestly, why would they? This is a team that hasn’t been to a World Cup in 28 years. They just beat Brazil. In the knockout round.
Social media lit up. Clips of the celebration have been shared thousands of times. One angle shows Haaland laughing mid-chant, like even he was caught up in the moment. That’s the kind of thing that turns a good run into something bigger.
Norway’s defense deserves some credit too. They held Brazil to one goal, and that came late. For a team that’s known for its attacking firepower, the discipline at the back has been a surprise. Not a bad surprise for them.
What comes next
Norway will face either France or Mexico in the quarterfinals. No matter who it is, they’ve already done more than anyone expected. But with Haaland scoring like this, and the whole squad feeding off that energy, it’s hard to bet against them. The drumsticks might make another appearance.
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