Haaland shines as Norway dump Brazil out of 2026 World Cup
Erling Haaland produced a match-winning performance to lead Norway to a stunning 2-1 win over Brazil to qualify for the 2026 World Cup quarter-finals on Sunday.
Carlo Ancelotti made one change to the side that defeated Japan in the round of 32 with Gabriel Martinelli replacing the injured Lucas Pacqueta.
Erling Haaland led the line for Norway with Martin Odegaard pulling the strings in the midfield.
Norway thought they had taken an early lead in the fourth minute when Patrick Berg found the back of the net but the effort was ruled out for offside.
Norway’s Kristoffer Ajer was penalised for fouling Matheus Cunha in the box in the 15th minute.
Bruno Guimaraes missed from the penalty spot to put Brazil under pressure in the encounter as Norway took the initiative in the encounter.
Both sides failed to break the deadlock in the first half as it ended 0-0.
Substitute Endrick missed a glorious chance for Brazil in the 58th when he failed to beat Nyland in goal in a one-on-one situation.
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Haaland punished Brazil’s wastefulness with a glancing header in the 79th minute from Andreas Schjelderup’s cross.
He added the second goal with a low drive from outside the box in the 90th minute to take the game beyond Brazil.
Neymar came off the bench to score a consolation goal for Brazil in the closing moments but it was too little too late as Norway held on to seal an historic win.
Norway will now take on the winner between England and Mexico in the quarter-finals.
Top Stats From Brazil vs Norway
Erling Haaland is the first player to score 7+ goals in his first four World Cup appearances since Gerd Müller in 1970 (8).
Norway have reached the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup for the first time in their history.
Haaland is the first European player to score in each of his first four World Cup games since Christian Vieri in 1998.
0 – 🇧🇷 Brazil have beaten every single nation they’ve faced apart from 🇳🇴 Norway, who they have faced five times without success (D2 L3).
6 – Brazil are now experiencing their longest barren run in World Cup history, having failed to lift the trophy in each of the last six editions of the tournament since their last triumph in 2002.
4/4 – 🇳🇴 Haaland won all four of his aerial duels today against Brazil and has the best aerial duel success of any striker to contest more than 15 at the FIFA World Cup since 1966 (78%, won 14/18)
Brazil have been knocked out by European opposition in each of the last six World Cup tournaments:
◉ 0-1 vs. France (2006)
◉ 1-2 vs. Netherlands (2010)
◉ 1-7 vs. Germany (2014)
◉ 1-2 vs. Belgium (2018)
◉ 2-4 on pens vs. Croatia (2022)
◉ 1-2 vs. Norway (2026)
It’s their first last 16 exit since 1990.
