Norway secured a 2-1 victory over five-time champions Brazil in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16. Erling Haaland delivered a late brace with goals in the 79th and 90th minutes to decide the match in Miami Gardens. Neymar converted a penalty deep into stoppage time at the 90 mark. But the late strike was not enough to find an equalizer.
This result marks the very first time the Norway men’s national team has advanced to the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup. They move beyond the round of 16 for the first time in their history, cementing a historic progression that eliminates a tournament favorite.
Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil squad faces immediate fallout after underachieving expectations of winning their sixth star. The defeat ends an eight-tournament streak of quarter-final appearances for the Seleção. It is their earliest tournament exit since the 1990 tournament in Italy. Brazil has not beaten a European team in a knockout stage game since their 2002 World Cup final victory over Germany. Players like Endrick and VinÃcius Júnior were unable to convert crucial chances in transition.
The victory relied heavily on a critical sequence of events that kept Norway in the match before Haaland took over:
- The 14th Minute: Brazil earned an early penalty. Norway’s 35-year-old goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland produced a phenomenal save against Bruno Guimarães to keep the score level.
- The 79th Minute: Substitute Andreas Schjelderup delivered a cross into the box. Haaland headed the ball past the defense for his first goal.
- The 90th Minute: Haaland struck again to double the lead before Neymar’s stoppage-time response.
Haaland’s two goals put him at seven for the tournament. That total ties him with Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé in the race for the Golden Boot. Norway officially moves on to face the winner of the Mexico vs. England fixture.