Viking Joy!
July 7by Adedoyin Ajayi
After Norway’s victory over Iraq sealed their place in the round of 32 at the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup, their captain Martin Odegaard pulled out a drum adorned with their nation’s colours. The players and backroom staff sat on the pitch in a formation. In the stands, there was anticipation among the thousands of Norwegians decked in their team’s red jerseys. Many viewers around the world looked on with anticipation. Others like myself watched with slight confusion.
As Odegaard pounded on the drums, huge roars of “Ro!” accompanied his rhythm from the throats of Norwegians on the pitch and in the stands, as the players and fans alike imitated rowing movements in their longboat formation. Huge smiles adorned the players’ faces as the “Ro!” chant continued to reverberate all around the stadium. In the stands, Norwegian fans didn’t hold back as they chanted with gusto.
Norway was alive.
Erling Haaland wasn’t born yet the last time Norway appeared in the World Cup (1998). Never in their previous three World Cup outings had they won a knockout game, with a group stage knockout in 1994 sandwiched between round of 16 eliminations in 1938 and 1998 respectively.
But this past weekend, Norway was in the quarter-final of the World Cup, uncharted waters for them, and facing Brazil, five-time world champions. They played with passion, with purpose, and most notably, with an unfazed verve that belied the occasion and opponent.
After their heroic slaying of the South Americans, millions around the world looked on for their thrilling synchronized rowing; not with confusion this time, but in anticipation.
Captain Odegaard was on the drums after their earlier victories against Iraq and Ivory Coast in the tournament. But after their victory against Brazil, it was fitting that Haaland pounded the drums, as his lethal double rewrote history and sent millions of Norwegian hearts into delirium. His big smile reflected joy – the joy of a man who was part of history.
Thousands of miles away, Crown Prince Haakon joined ecstatic Norwegians numbering about a hundred thousand in performing the Viking Row outside the national Palace.
Regardless of their quarter-final result against England, the sight of the Norwegian players imitating the Viking Row to the pounding of the drums will remain an iconic World Cup memory.
As this nation boldly ventures further in the more competitive waters of the tournament, they do so full of belief, oars rowing, war shields at their sides, war drums beating, and with Erling Braut Haaland at the helm.
Ro!
