Haaland's brace sends Brazil home as Norway reach first-ever World Cup quarterfinal

Erling Haaland ended Brazil’s 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with a brace as Norway claimed a historic 2-1 victory at New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday, sending the five-time champions home in the round of 16 — their earliest elimination since Italy 1990.

Haaland opened the scoring in the 11th minute, heading in a cross from winger Andreas Schjelderup. He then sealed the win in the 90th minute with a goal that stood apart from his previous six at the tournament — all of which had been one-touch finishes. The striker now has seven goals in total, level with Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi at the top of the Golden Boot standings.

Brazil pulled one back through a Neymar penalty deep into stoppage time, but an equaliser never came. Goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland was central to Norway’s victory, making four saves across the match. The most significant came in the 13th minute, when he denied Bruno Guimarães from the spot to keep the score level shortly after Haaland’s opener.

The result carries a painful historical weight for Brazil. They have not beaten a European side in a World Cup knockout fixture since defeating Germany in the 2002 final — a run of futility that now stretches more than two decades.

Norway, meanwhile, have reached the quarterfinals of the World Cup for the first time in their history. They will face the winner of Mexico versus England in the next round.