For Norway, the United States is turning into the Haaland of opportunity. The country of 5 million people has powered into a World Cup quarter-final. The most decorated national team in history were cast out of the competition, Brazil’s dream of a sixth World Cup ended by Erling Haaland’s sixth and seventh goals of this tournament. A thousand years after Vikings set sail for the Americas, Brazil were subject to Norse rule in New Jersey.
It ended with Haaland banging the drum – quite literally – as the Norway players rowed in harmony with their supporters. Forget flying to Miami, they could get there on longships. The MetLife, which had seemed full of Brazil supporters, ended echoing to the sound of A-ha’s “Take Me On”.
