Norway Stuns Brazil with Historic 2-1 Victory in FIFA World Cup 2026
Norway's Historic Win Over Brazil
In a stunning upset, Norway triumphed over five-time champions Brazil with a score of 2-1 during the Round of 16 at the FIFA World Cup 2026, held at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. This victory marks Norway's first-ever advancement to the quarter-finals in World Cup history.
The Norwegian team, which had never previously progressed beyond the Round of 16, faced intense pressure from Brazil but managed to score twice in the final moments, thanks to their star player, Erling Haaland. Although Neymar converted a penalty in stoppage time, it was too late to save Brazil from elimination.
Norway started strong and nearly took the lead early on when Patrick Berg scored, only for the goal to be disallowed due to offside.
Brazil was given a chance to score when Kristoffer Ajer was penalized for a foul on Matheus Cunha after a VAR review. However, Bruno Guimaraes missed the penalty, with Norway's goalkeeper, Orjan Nyland, making a straightforward save.
Despite Brazil's dominance in possession and opportunities, including a notable save from Nyland against Gabriel Martinelli, the first half ended in a stalemate.
In search of a breakthrough, Brazil's coach Carlo Ancelotti brought on young forward Endrick, who nearly scored but missed the target. Nyland continued to impress, denying Rayan shortly after.
Norway began to find their rhythm, with substitute Andreas Schjelderup energizing the attack. He delivered a crucial cross in the 79th minute, allowing Haaland to score with a powerful header.
As Brazil pushed for an equalizer, Haaland struck again, skillfully finishing with his left foot to extend Norway's lead and tie with Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe for the tournament's Golden Boot with seven goals.
Brazil was awarded a penalty in stoppage time after Leo Ostigard fouled Casemiro, which Neymar converted, but it was merely a consolation goal.
This remarkable victory not only extended Norway's unbeaten streak against Brazil to five matches but also propelled Stale Solbakken's team into the quarter-finals, where they will face either Mexico or England. For Brazil, this defeat marked their seventh consecutive World Cup knockout loss to European teams, ending another disappointing campaign.