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Why Norway’s win over Brazil is not a World Cup upset
Norway’s victory over Brazil may look like a shock on paper, but shifting football dynamics, tactical evolution and Brazil’s recurring knockout struggles tell a different story
- PUBLISHED: Mon 6 Jul 2026, 8:24 PM UPDATED: Tue 7 Jul 2026, 1:07 AM
Norway, a country of five million people, where the long, cold winters can test the brightest spirits, has now twisted the knife into the heart of Brazil, the five-time world champions, where every child’s first birthday present is a football.
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On the eve of the 2006 World Cup quarter-final between France and Brazil, Thierry Henry was asked to compare the two football cultures.
The Arsenal legend acknowledged the value of the French football structure that groomed Raymond Kopa, Marius Trésor, Michel Platini and Zinedine Zidane.
But in Brazil, he said, it’s not just about the Peles, the Garrinchas, the Romarios and the Ronaldos. Henry had the look of a wide-eyed teenager when he spoke about how the sport is a way of life in Brazil, where children are born with a football at their feet and play from dawn to dusk in every street, in every park and on every beach.
Nothing in that football culture has changed in Brazil. Tourists in Rio are still as awestruck by a random guy showing off his incredible ball control on the streets as they are by the stunning views of the city, where high-rise buildings are punctuated by rainforest hills.
But this fertile land of football is now in the doldrums. Not many have been surprised by how poorly they played against against the talented Norwegians, whose Viking Row celebrations will go down as one of the most goosebump-inducing World Cup moments of all time.
For the first time since 1990, Brazil failed to go beyond the round of 16. The last time they failed in the same knockout round, Brazil had put Argentina to the sword, dominating the midfield to launch waves of attacks on their bitter rivals’ backline.
Argentina managed to weather the storm before Diego Maradona’s mazy run set up Claudio Caniggia’s match-winning goal against the run of play.
On Sunday, it wasn’t the Norwegians who were defending as though they were playing for their lives. It was Brazil, in yellow shirt, the embodiment of creative football, who was reduced to a defensive unit, rarely winning the midfield battle and hoping to hurt the rivals on the break.
Brazil’s national team hasn’t become a counterpuncher overnight. It’s been more than a decade since Brazil have stopped playing like Brazil. Repeated failures to add to their record five World Cup titles have compelled them to adopt a more European style of football.
While it’s one thing to try and play a different style of football, one that is more pragmatic, which doesn’t encourage flair players to impose their individual brilliance, it's quite another to be successful in mastering the mental side of the sport.
Brazil have been caught between two worlds — the tactical game of Europe and the raw intensity of Brazilian footballing passion. On the evidence of the past four World Cups, the two have not gone hand in hand.
And yet, Carlo Ancelotti made the same mistake. Brought in last year as the first foreign coach to lead Brazil when the team was struggling in the battle to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, Ancelotti steadied the ship.
The South Americans eventually grabbed a place in the tournament — albeit with a fifth-place finish in the qualifiers, 10 points behind leaders Argentina.
There was nothing in their game to suggest that they would miraculously turn it around in the World Cup. But having Italian maestro Ancelotti in the dugout gave the public a great sense of optimism.
What was more surprising was that global experts and former players also tipped Brazil to be a top contender in North America — despite their perilous qualifying campaign.
Which only went on to show how history and tradition shape opinion in football.
But the most successful football nation doesn’t have a magic wand to make a fairytale return to glory days, even under a coach as accomplished as Ancelotti.
Not letting Vinicius Jr take the penalty in the early stages of the game against Norway was not the only baffling decision made by the former Real Madrid manager.
Ancelotti's first big mistake was to bring Neymar into the team despite the former Barcelona star struggling for form and fitness at Santos.
There was public demand for Neymar’s inclusion in the World Cup squad, and Ancelotti failed to stamp his authority as he bowed to the pressure.
South American football expert Tim Vickery could not get his head around Ancelotti's move to bring on Neymar in the second half against Norway, with the 34-year-old's introduction pushing Vinicius Jr and Endrick into wider positions.
"The reverence for a bygone talent did not make the slightest bit of sense. I thought it was absurd, quite frankly," Vickey said on his YouTube channel.
Now another World Cup has ended for Brazil with a defeat to a European team in the knockout stage.
This pattern of losing to European teams in knockout games began in 2006, when Henry, less than 24 hours after expressing his admiration for Brazilian football culture, volleyed home Zidane’s free kick to eliminate Brazil from the World Cup.
It’s been more than two decades since Brazil won a World Cup. Young Brazilians have grown up feeling proud about their football heritage, but they have yet to experience what it’s like to see their national team lift the famous trophy.
Every World Cup, the team arrives under the incredible weight of expectations. And for many of these players in the national team, the yellow jersey has now become a heavy burden to carry.
Brazil will continue to produce fantastic players, many of whom will make the cut as professionals. Others will continue to wow tourists with their breathtaking skills at Copacabana.
But when it comes to the football carnival called the World Cup, coaches will need to stop playing to the gallery and build a team which can beat the Europeans in their own game.
Rituraj Borkakoty is Sports Editor and has spent more than two decades writing on his sporting heroes. He also loves an underdog story, so if you have one, share it with him. He would love to bring it to life.