Norway have played in four FIFA World Cups in their entire history. The last one before FIFA World Cup 2026™ was in 1998. They have just reached the quarter-finals. They did it by beating Brazil.
Watch Norway’s FIFA World Cup 2026™ quarter-final live on ZEE 5 — India’s exclusive streaming home of the tournament. Subscribe to the ZEE 5 FIFA Subscription Quarterly Plan at ₹799.
The Match That Defined the Week
Brazil came into their Round of 16 match at the New Jersey Stadium as heavy favourites. Five-time world champions. A squad packed with players from elite clubs playing in their prime. Carlo Ancelotti in the dugout. On paper, it was not a contest.
Norway absorbed, defended, and waited. For 78 minutes, they absorbed Brazil’s press — higher expected goals against them, more chances conceded than created. A Guimarães penalty saved by Ørjan Nyland. A Martinelli one-on-one blocked by the goalkeeper’s leg. An Endrick opportunity missed. Brazil had the chances. Norway had the goalkeeper, the shape, and — as it turned out — Erling Haaland.
Haaland — Twice in Ten Minutes
The 79th minute. A long ball over the top, the kind of delivery that has terrorised defences all season for Manchester City. Haaland timed his run, rose above his marker, and headed it low and hard into the net. The New Jersey Stadium — where Brazil’s support had been the majority voice all evening — went quiet.
Brazil pushed for an equaliser. They pushed hard. And in the 89th minute, a Norwegian counter broke at pace. Haaland received the ball on the run, took one touch to set himself, and drove a low strike into the corner. 2–0. A brace. A match sealed. Brazil, one of the pre-tournament favourites, were out.
Neymar pulled one back from the penalty spot in the 90th minute — the last act of a Brazilian World Cup generation saying goodbye. But the story had already been written.
Nyland: The Reason Norway Were Still In It
Haaland scored the goals. But Ørjan Nyland’s impact was as much, if not more. This is the partnership that carried Norway through the New Jersey night. His leg-save to deny Martinelli. His penalty stop against Guimarães — Brazil’s first missed World Cup penalty in 40 years — came at a moment when the match was perfectly balanced. A goal then, and the momentum shifts entirely. Nyland refused to let it.
He finished the match with four critical saves, each one read correctly and executed with composure. Behind a side that spent long periods defending their own box, Nyland was the reason Norway’s lead held.
The Tactical Story
Norway’s game plan was clear and brilliantly executed. They sat in a compact shape, denied Brazil space between the lines, and trusted their defenders to deal with crosses. Every time Brazil moved wide, a Norwegian body was there. Every time Brazil played into the striker zone, Nyland or a centre-back was positioned to intercept.
The transition was the weapon. Low block, recover the ball, move quickly. Haaland’s movement stretched Brazil’s backline on every Norwegian attack. Two of the biggest centre-backs in international football spent the second half checking their shoulders for a man moving at a speed they simply could not match.
Watch Norway vs Brazil Match Highlight Free Only On ZEE5.
What This Means for Norway
Norway last appeared at a World Cup in 1998 — a tournament in which they famously beat Brazil in the group stage before going out in the Round of 16. Twenty-eight years later, they are back at the same stage and through it for the first time in their history.
The country has a population of five million. They qualified for this tournament through a European qualifying group that included several established nations. They arrived here ranked outside the top ten in Europe, according to most estimates. And they are now in the last eight of FIFA World Cup 2026™ — having beaten the five-time world champions to get there.
England await in the quarter-finals. They will be firm favourites. Norway will not mind.
Watch Norway’s FIFA World Cup 2026™ quarter-final live on ZEE 5 — India’s exclusive streaming home of the tournament. Subscribe to the ZEE 5 Quarterly Plan at ₹799.
Disclaimer: Subscription pack prices are subject to change from time to time. Please visit the subscription page for the most up-to-date pricing information.
