Norwegian captain Martin Odegaard handed the drum sticks over to his teammate, all-universe striker Erling Haaland, after Norway bounced Brazil, the five-time World Cup champion, out of the 2026 tournament in a 2-1 Round of 16 victory at New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday. Haaland scored both goals in the defining victory, to date, in Norwegian soccer history: so he would lead “The Viking Row,” the viral Norwegian fan cheer in which someone bangs a drum and the red-clad Norwegian supporters in the stands simulate a rowing motion, while chanting “Ro!” which sounds like roo, which is Norwegian for “row.”
Haaland pounded the drum, twice, with his left hand. “Ro!” the crowd responded. He did it again, looking somewhat dissatisfied with the response. A third time. Now, he was happy. By the sixth or seventh double-bang, he was picking up the pace. Sixteen double-bangs in all, before he slammed the sticks onto the pitch and jumped around, smiling, with his jubilant teammates.
What once seemed like a cute ritual from a pleasant Nordic nation, happy to be in its first World Cup in 28 years, is now morphing into a global soccer power anthem. Its force should be taken seriously, largely because of the 6-ft, 5-in striker with the blonde man-bun. Norway has advanced to its first World Cup quarterfinal in its history and will play England, who defeated co-hosts Mexico, on July 11 in Miami.
Haaland now has seven goals in this World Cup, tying him with Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé for the tournament lead. He’s scored in an unfathomable 14 straight competitive games for Norway, piling up 27 goals over this period. Haaland now has 62 goals in 54 games for his country. Mbappé has 63 for France—in 103 games. “For Erling, I’m lost for words,” says Norway midfielder Andreas Schjelderup. “We’re all lost for words. I think we’re all just happy that he’s Norwegian.”
“Let’s be honest, to score seven goals for Norway in the World Cup is quite special,” says Haaland. “I need to pinch myself sometimes in the arm, because it’s big.”
Brazil, which exits the World Cup before a quarterfinal for the first time since 1900, had a chance to score first, on a penalty in the 14th minute. Brazilian superstar Vinícius Júnior, of Real Madrid, held the ball at the penalty spot. But one of the world’s elite scorers handed it to Bruno Guimarães. After the match, Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti said the data indicated Guimarães was Brazil’s best available penalty shooter. Norwegian keeper Orjan Nyland dove to his left to stop Guimarães’ attempt, Brazil’s first unsuccessful World Cup penalty shot, not including shootouts, since 1986.
Haaland and Norway pounced late. In the 79th minute Haaland lurked in the box, and on a cross from Schjelderup, positioned his Viking frame in front of a Brazil defender, as he’s inclined to do: Haaland’s explosive headerbounced into the net to give Norway a 1-0 lead. In the 85th minute, Nyland saved a potential disastrous own-goal with his left fingertip, and a few minutes later Haaland struck again: this time, he set the ball and swung with his left foot, sending a diagonal shot past Brazil keeper Allison for a key insurance goal. Neymar Jr., the Brazilian legend likely playing in his final World Cup, scored on a penalty in the 100th minute. But by then, time had run out on Brazil. A Viking Row would again commence.
Last summer, Haaland told TIME, in no uncertain words, “Norway will never win the World Cup.” He wasn’t knocking his teammates, per se: Haaland was thinking like a realist, given Norway’s uninspiring World Cup history, and the prospect of facing global powers—like Brazil—in North America. Just getting to the World Cup was a victory.
Now, with three more wins, Haaland would give his country, and the soccer world, the most blessedly incorrect take of all-time. “I didn’t dream of this ever in my life,” says Haaland. “I dreamed of playing in the World Cup with Norway, and taking them to the World Cup. But I never expected to win against Brazil. Let’s be honest and say that. I thought it was not possible to do some things. But I guess I’m wrong.”
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