FIFA WC
Brazil OUT! Haaland's double sends Norway into historic FIFA World Cup quarter-finals
Norway produced one of the biggest upsets of the FIFA World Cup 2026 by defeating Brazil 2-1 in a gripping Round of 16 encounter, with Erling Haaland scoring twice to send the Scandinavian nation into the quarter-finals for the first time in its history.
The pulsating contest remained finely balanced until the closing stages before Haaland struck twice in dramatic fashion.
Although Neymar converted a late penalty deep into stoppage time to reduce the deficit, Brazil could not find the equaliser as Norway held firm to seal a memorable victory.
Haaland delivers when it matters most
After a tightly contested match in which both teams created meaningful opportunities, Haaland broke the deadlock in the 80th minute to hand Norway a deserved lead.
The Manchester City striker struck again in the first minute of added time, putting Norway in complete control and sending the travelling supporters into celebration.
The moment 🇳🇴#FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/XLUGyNvOW8
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) July 5, 2026
Brazil mounted one final push after being awarded a penalty in stoppage time.
Neymar calmly converted from the spot, cutting the deficit to 2-1 and potentially scoring what could become his final FIFA World Cup goal.
The South American side pressed relentlessly during the remaining seconds, but Norway's defence stood firm to secure a famous victory.
Norway dominate despite Brazil's pedigree
Despite Brazil entering the match as favourites, Norway controlled large portions of the contest.
The Scandinavian side enjoyed around 67 percent possession and dictated the tempo for much of the game, limiting Brazil's attacking influence despite the quality available in their squad.
Norway goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland. Photo: FIFA.com
Norway goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland also played a crucial role in the victory.
The experienced 35-year-old made several important saves, including stopping an early penalty that would have given Brazil the lead.
His performance provided the platform for Norway's late surge.
Historic milestone for Norwegian football
The victory marks a landmark achievement for Norwegian football.
Before this tournament, Norway had reached the FIFA World Cup knockout stages only once, progressing to the Round of 16 in 1998.
Their previous World Cup appearances came in 1938 and 1994, but they had never advanced to the quarter-finals.
Photo: Facebook/@fifa
The win over five-time champions Brazil represents the nation's greatest achievement on the World Cup stage.
Norway will now face the winner of the Round of 16 clash between Mexico and England in the quarter-finals.
Golden Boot race tightens
Haaland's two-goal performance also strengthened his bid for the tournament's Golden Boot.
The Norwegian striker has now scored seven goals in the competition, drawing level with Argentina's Lionel Messi and France's Kylian Mbappé in the race to finish as the World Cup's top scorer.
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