On Monday, roughly 90,000 fans gathered at Oslo’s Slottsplassen to cheer for the Norwegian national football team as they returned home. The squad had just completed a record-breaking performance at the World Cup, reaching the quarter-finals for the first time.
Norway’s tournament run ended on Saturday in Miami following a 2-1 defeat to England during extra-time. Despite the loss, the historic achievement drew massive crowds to the royal palace square, where supporters joined the players in their signature Viking Row celebration.
Crown Prince Haakon, who traveled to Miami to watch the match, acted as the primary drummer during the festivities in Oslo. Captain Martin Odegaard expressed his gratitude to the national broadcaster NRK, noting how moving it was to see such immense backing from the entire country.
Erling Haaland arrived in Norway separately earlier that day, sharing a lighthearted image on social media of himself disembarking his flight while holding a stuffed raccoon equipped with a glass bottle. According to NRK, the Manchester City forward, who finished the tournament with seven goals, was unable to join the main public gathering due to travel commitments.
