Norway produced one of the biggest upsets of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after defeating Brazil 2-1 in the Round of 16 to secure a historic place in the quarter-finals for the first time.
Erling Haaland was the hero of the night, scoring twice in the closing stages to eliminate the five-time world champions in a dramatic encounter played at New York New Jersey Stadium.
Brazil dominated large spells of the match and had a golden opportunity to take the lead in the first half, but Bruno Guimarães failed to convert from the penalty spot as Norway goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland made a brilliant save to keep the scores level.
With the game seemingly heading for extra time, Haaland broke the deadlock in the 79th minute, rising above the Brazilian defence to power home a header.
The prolific striker struck again just before full time, finishing off a swift counterattack to double Norway’s advantage and silence the Brazilian supporters.
Neymar pulled one back for Brazil from the penalty spot deep into stoppage time, but it was too late to prevent a famous Norwegian victory.
The result sends Norway into the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in the nation’s history, while Brazil suffer their earliest exit from the tournament in decades.
Haaland’s match-winning performance also strengthened his bid for the tournament’s Golden Boot as Norway continue their dream run at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
