--- title: Erling Haaland Is Proving Himself Wrong description: The Norwegian star striker once said his team could never win the World Cup. After defeating Brazil, the impossible is looking more possible. canonical: https://time.com/article/2026/07/06/erling-haaland-norway-brazil-world-cup-win-impossible-viking-row/ author: Sean Gregory article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2026-07-06T04:00:00.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-07-06T04:12:00.018Z article:section: Sports og:title: Erling Haaland Is Proving Himself Wrong og:description: The Norwegian star striker once said his team could never win the World Cup. After defeating Brazil, the impossible is looking more possible. og:url: https://time.com/article/2026/07/06/erling-haaland-norway-brazil-world-cup-win-impossible-viking-row/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2aeeaa889a1b9965/6a4b29c2a234194791d46946/haaland_norway_brazil.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: haaland norway brazil.jpg og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Erling Haaland Is Proving Himself Wrong twitter:description: The Norwegian star striker once said his team could never win the World Cup. After defeating Brazil, the impossible is looking more possible. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2aeeaa889a1b9965/6a4b29c2a234194791d46946/haaland_norway_brazil.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Erling Haaland Is Proving Himself Wrong > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with Ally. Ally is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: July 2026. ## Ally: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition Ally is a digital financial services company offering online-only banking, including checking and savings accounts, through Ally.com and its mobile apps. Launched in 2009 as an original disruptor in financial services, Ally was built to challenge outdated banking norms with a simpler, more convenient way to bank. 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Terms and conditions apply. * Savings buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Savings Account. * No ATM fees from Ally Bank at Allpoint and Moneypass ATMs plus we reimburse for fees charged by other ATM owners nationwide up to $10 per statement cycle. * Early direct deposit offers eligible direct deposits up to two days sooner. * Spending buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Spending Account.  by [Sean Gregory/East Rutherford, N.J.](https://time.com/author/sean-gregory/)  ## Sean Gregory/East Rutherford, N.J. Senior Correspondent Jul 6, 2026 4:00 AM UTC  Norway’s Erling Haaland leads the team as they participate in a Viking Row after defeating Brazil on Sunday, July 5, 2026, in East Rutherford, N.J. Norway’s Erling Haaland leads the team as they participate in a Viking Row after defeating Brazil on Sunday, July 5, 2026, in East Rutherford, N.J.Frank Franklin II—AP  by [Sean Gregory/East Rutherford, N.J.](https://time.com/author/sean-gregory/)  ## Sean Gregory/East Rutherford, N.J. Senior Correspondent Jul 6, 2026 4:00 AM UTC Norwegian captain Martin Odegaard handed the drum sticks over to his teammate, all-universe striker [Erling Haaland](https://time.com/article/2026/06/24/erling-haaland-world-cup-2026-norway/), after Norway bounced Brazil, the five-time World Cup champion, out of the 2026 tournament in a 2-1 Round of 16 victory at New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday. Haaland scored both goals in the defining victory, to date, in Norwegian soccer history: so he would lead [“The Viking Row,”](https://www.foxsports.com/watch-vertical/fmc-jac12w9a97lytaln) the viral Norwegian fan cheer in which someone bangs a drum and the red-clad Norwegian supporters in the stands simulate a rowing motion, while chanting “Ro!” which sounds like _roo,_ which is Norwegian for “row.” Haaland [pounded the drum](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k93TxyCJYBA), twice, with his left hand. “Ro!” the crowd responded. He did it again, looking somewhat dissatisfied with the response. A third time. Now, he was happy. By the sixth or seventh double-bang, he was picking up the pace. Sixteen double-bangs in all, before he slammed the sticks onto the pitch and jumped around, smiling, with his jubilant teammates. What once seemed like a cute ritual from a pleasant Nordic nation, happy to be in its first World Cup in 28 years, is now morphing into a global soccer power anthem. Its force should be taken seriously, largely because of the 6-ft, 5-in striker with the blonde man-bun. Norway has advanced to its first World Cup quarterfinal in its history and will play England, who defeated co-hosts Mexico, on July 11 in Miami. [Haaland](https://time.com/collection/time100-sports/2026/erling-haaland/) now has seven goals in this World Cup, tying him with [Lionel Messi](https://time.com/collection/time100-sports/2026/lionel-messi/) and [Kylian Mbappé](https://time.com/article/2026/06/24/kylian-mbappe-world-cup-2026/) for the tournament lead. He’s scored in an unfathomable 14 straight competitive games for Norway, piling up 27 goals over this period. Haaland [now has 62 goals in 54 games](https://x.com/kalshisports/status/2073893478984020399?s=46) for his country. Mbappé has 63 for France—in 103 games. “For Erling, I'm lost for words,” says Norway midfielder Andreas Schjelderup. “We’re all lost for words. I think we’re all just happy that he’s Norwegian.” “Let’s be honest, to score seven goals for Norway in the World Cup is quite special,” says Haaland. “I need to pinch myself sometimes in the arm, because it’s big.” Brazil, which exits the World Cup before a quarterfinal for the first time since 1900, had a chance to score first, on a penalty in the 14th minute. Brazilian superstar Vinícius Júnior, of Real Madrid, held the ball at the penalty spot. But one of the world’s elite scorers handed it to Bruno Guimarães. After the match, Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti said the data indicated Guimarães was Brazil’s best available penalty shooter. Norwegian keeper Orjan Nyland dove to his left to stop Guimarães’ attempt, Brazil’s first unsuccessful World Cup penalty shot, not including shootouts, [since 1986](https://apnews.com/article/world-cup-brazil-loss-norway-a9f993fdb5b0a3ab4be9116fba642119). Haaland and Norway pounced late. In the 79th minute Haaland lurked in the box, and on a cross from Schjelderup, positioned his Viking frame in front of a Brazil defender, as he’s inclined to do: [Haaland’s explosive header ](https://www.foxsports.com/watch/fmc-ruostqoumee9ck5j)bounced into the net to give Norway a 1-0 lead. In the 85th minute, Nyland saved a potential disastrous own-goal with his left fingertip, and a few minutes later Haaland struck again: this time, he set the ball and swung with his left foot, sending a diagonal shot past Brazil keeper Allison for a key insurance goal. Neymar Jr., the Brazilian legend [likely playing in his final World Cup](https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/breaking-news/article/neymar-announces-retirement-from-international-soccer-after-brazil-crashes-out-of-world-cup-222830558.html), scored on a penalty in the 100th minute. But by then, time had run out on Brazil. A Viking Row would again commence. Last summer, [Haaland told TIME](https://time.com/7303602/erling-haaland-manchester-city-interview/), in no uncertain words, “Norway will never win the World Cup.” He wasn’t knocking his teammates, per se: Haaland was thinking like a realist, given Norway’s uninspiring World Cup history, and the prospect of facing global powers—like Brazil—in North America. Just getting to the World Cup was a victory. Now, with three more wins, Haaland would give his country, and the soccer world, the most blessedly incorrect take of all-time. “I didn’t dream of this ever in my life,” says Haaland. “I dreamed of playing in the World Cup with Norway, and taking them to the World Cup. But I never expected to win against Brazil. Let’s be honest and say that. I thought it was not possible to do some things. But I guess I’m wrong.” ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/article/2026/07/06/erling-haaland-norway-brazil-world-cup-win-impossible-viking-row/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/article/2026/07/06/erling-haaland-norway-brazil-world-cup-win-impossible-viking-row/"},"headline":"Erling Haaland Is Proving Himself Wrong","datePublished":"2026-07-06T04:00:00.000Z","dateModified":"2026-07-06T04:12:00.018Z","description":"The Norwegian star striker once said his team could never win the World Cup. 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