Norway eliminated Brazil from the 2026 World Cup with a 2-1 victory in the Round of 16 at MetLife Stadium. Erling Haaland scored twice for Norway, while Neymar converted a late penalty for Brazil.
Brazil missed a massive opportunity early in the first half when Bruno Guimarães’ penalty kick was easily saved by Norwegian goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland. Despite second-half tactical substitutions from manager Carlo Ancelotti – bringing on rising star Endrick and Neymar – it was Haaland who broke the deadlock.
In the 79th minute, Haaland headed home a cross from Andreas Schjelderup, followed shortly by a powerful, low drive from the edge of the box to double the lead. With these two goals, Haaland reached seven in the tournament, tying Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé as the World Cup’s top scorers.
This defeat marks a historic low for the Brazilian National Team, resulting in their worst World Cup finish since losing to Argentina in the 1990 Round of 16. The loss also continues a frustrating “European curse” for the South American giants. For the fifth consecutive tournament since 2006, Brazil has been eliminated by a European side, following previous exits against France, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, and Croatia.
Furthermore, Brazil remains notoriously winless against Norway in official history, extending their head-to-head record to three losses and two draws. This exit solidifies Brazil’s longest championship drought ever; if they secure glory in 2030, it will mark a historic 28-year gap since their last triumph in 2002. While Brazil’s squad heads home, Norway advances to the quarterfinals, where they will face England.