Norway are through to the knockout stage of the World Cup for the first time in 28 years, and they are doing it in the most emphatic fashion imaginable. Two games played, two wins secured - 4-0 against Iraq and a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Senegal at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey - with Erling Haaland at the heart of everything dangerous, beautiful and occasionally terrifying about this Norwegian side. The wait since France 1998 is over, and the team that broke it looks every inch a genuine contender.
The win over Senegal was not the stroll the scoreline against Iraq might have encouraged neutrals to expect. Marcus Holmgren Pedersen gave Norway the lead before Haaland's brace put daylight between the sides, but Ismaila Sarr pulled two back for the Lions of Teranga - the second arriving deep in stoppage time to set up a frantic finale. It was a reminder, if one were needed, that this World Cup rewards nothing for free. Much like the world of betting padel, where the margins are thin and fine positioning determines everything, Norway had to hold their nerve when Senegal pushed hard in the closing stages.
With four goals in two games, Haaland sits level with Kylian Mbappé in the tournament scoring charts and just one behind Lionel Messi. The Golden Boot conversation - which at a World Cup of this magnitude inevitably runs parallel to every group-stage result - now very much includes the Norwegian. He pounded the turf in the first half after a shot cannoned back off the near post following a press that robbed Edouard Mendy of possession. That missed chance, rare for a man who averages better than a goal per game at international level, appeared to ignite rather than deflate him. In the second half he slammed home Norway's second and redirected a cross for the third. Haaland does not stay down for long.
The Odegaard Factor: Art Meets Efficiency
The goal that made it 2-0 was, in a sense, the goal this tournament had been waiting to see. Martin Odegaard picked up possession, drove forward with options multiplying around him, and waited - really waited - before threading a precise ball through the heart of Senegal's retreating defence. Haaland, ponytail flying, had anticipated it all along. He lifted the ball over Mendy with composure that belied the pace at which the move had developed.
Odegaard and Haaland are widely spoken of as a duo, but they are stylistically quite different. Haaland is relentless, physical, fifth gear from the first whistle - and occasionally impatient with it, as a moment in the 68th minute illustrated when he visibly expressed frustration after Odegaard chose to take a man on rather than play the early pass. Odegaard is more circuitous, an artist drawn to complexity when simplicity would serve. When they align - and against Senegal, they aligned for the crucial moments - Norway look capable of troubling almost anyone. Against Iraq they were comfortable. Against Senegal they were tested. The next examination comes from France.
Norway's Final Group Game Against France: High Stakes, Low Pressure
Both Norway and France have already qualified for the round of 32, which means Friday's Group I finale at 3pm ET carries competitive stakes without existential anxiety. The group winner is projected, based on bracket forecasts, to face a third-place qualifier - most likely Sweden - in New York/New Jersey on June 30. The runner-up would travel to Dallas to meet the second-placed team from Group E, which Ivory Coast are expected to fill heading into their final match against Curacao.
For Norway, winning the group would carry obvious psychological weight - a statement that this return to the World Cup stage is not merely about participation. For France, Mbappé's form means Les Bleus will approach every game with attacking intent regardless of the context. It shapes up as a genuine spectacle, and perhaps the most meaningful test yet of how far this Norwegian generation can go.
The Row, the Rain and the Return of the Vikings
No account of Norway at this World Cup would be complete without acknowledging the spectacle their supporters have provided off the pitch. The Norwegian "row" - fans recreating a Viking rowing motion in unison on trains, subway carriages, escalators and in Times Square - has become one of the defining fan images of the tournament. A brutal rainstorm rolled across New Jersey on Monday evening but did nothing to dim the energy inside MetLife. A Norwegian parliament session was reportedly interrupted by the speaker inviting all parties to row in their seats in solidarity with the national team.
It recalls other great moments of collective football fandom: Iceland's Viking Clap at Euro 2016, the vuvuzelas of South Africa 2010, the Tartan Army's enduring good humour, and the Japanese supporters who cleaned the stadiums in Qatar. Sport's greatest tournaments are remembered as much for the culture they generate in the stands as for the goals scored on the pitch. Norway, after nearly three decades away, are adding their chapter - and with Haaland still hunting Messi's tally, it is far from the last.
