Norway produced one of the biggest shocks of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after defeating five-time champions Brazil 2-1 in the Round of 16 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Erling Haaland was the difference. The Norwegian striker struck twice late in the match to send the Scandinavian side into the quarter-finals and dump Brazil out of the tournament in stunning fashion.
Brazil began strongly and looked in control for long stretches of the first half, but Norway held firm and gradually grew into the contest.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the 79th minute when Andreas Schjelderup slipped Haaland through on goal. The Manchester City striker made no mistake, firing low past the goalkeeper to stun the Brazilian supporters inside the stadium.
As Brazil pushed desperately for an equaliser, Norway struck again on the counter. Haaland completed his brace in the 90th minute, calmly slotting home to make it 2-0 and seemingly put the match beyond reach.
Neymar, introduced from the bench, converted a late penalty deep into stoppage time to briefly revive Brazilian hopes. But there was little time remaining, and Norway held on to secure a famous victory.
The result echoed Norway’s memorable 2-1 win over Brazil at the 1998 World Cup in France.
Ruthless counter-attacking football
Remarkably, Norway remain unbeaten against Brazil in competitive fixtures, strengthening their reputation as an unlikely nemesis for the South American giants.
Haaland once again delivered on the biggest stage, leading the Norwegian attack with power and composure throughout the night.
Norway’s disciplined defensive shape and ruthless counter-attacking football frustrated a Brazilian side packed with attacking talent, including Vinicius Junior, Neymar and Endrick.
Norway, appearing at a World Cup for the first time in decades, now move into the quarter-finals where they will face either England or Mexico. Confidence inside the squad will be soaring after eliminating one of football’s traditional superpowers.
