Bandwagon Round of 16 · MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
Brazil
NorwaySunday, July 5, 4:00 PM EDT · 📺 FOX
FT 1-2 · Norway advance
Brazil has won five World Cups — and has literally never beaten Norway. The hoodoo comes to Jersey.
A quarterfinal spot is on the line. Brazil is chasing its first title since 2002 in Carlo Ancelotti's first-ever World Cup; Norway is living its best tournament since the 1998 fairytale — when it stunned Brazil 2-1.
Norway. Brazil has five stars on the jersey and has literally never beaten these guys. Root for the hoodoo — and for Haaland highlights.
01Sound smart about this
- The hoodoo is real: Norway is the only team Brazil has never beaten — two Norway wins, two draws, including a famous 2-1 comeback at France '98. Drop that stat early and often.
- Haaland's first World Cup is a rampage: 5 goals, including a late winner vs Ivory Coast to reach this round. He's one behind Messi and Mbappé (6 each) in the Golden Boot race.
- Brazil looks like Brazil again: won its group, beat Japan 2-1 in the Round of 32, and Vinícius Júnior is on 4 goals. But Lucas Paquetá (thigh) and Raphinha are both out — which is exactly why Ancelotti says a 'fully fit' Neymar could make his first start.
02Players to actually watchtap a line to copy
Four goals so far and he scored in all three group games — only the fifth Brazilian ever to do that at a World Cup.
Say this“Norway plays a high defensive line, and that's exactly what Vinícius eats alive — every long ball over the top is a heart attack.”
Brazil's all-time leading scorer is 'fully fit' per Ancelotti — and with Paquetá and Raphinha out, his first World Cup start since 2022 is genuinely on the table.
Say this“Win or lose, this is almost certainly Neymar's last World Cup — the only thing missing from his résumé is this trophy.”
Five goals in his first-ever World Cup, including the dramatic late winner against Ivory Coast that set up this game.
Say this“Haaland only needs two chances a game — if Norway gets him one clean look, this thing goes to the wire.”
The Arsenal captain has an assist in three straight World Cup games — first player to do that since Dirk Kuyt in 2010.
Say this“Every dangerous Norway attack starts with Ødegaard — watch him and Haaland play catch all afternoon.”
03Ask thistap to copy
Fun fact: Norway is the only national team on Earth that's played Brazil and never lost — Brazil is 0 for 4 against them.
Haaland is on 5 goals, one behind Messi and Mbappé for the Golden Boot. He could be leading it by dinner.
Vinícius scored in all three group games — only the fifth Brazilian ever to do that at a World Cup. The others are legends.
Ancelotti has won basically everything in club soccer, but this is his first World Cup ever — at 67, coaching Brazil.
This is Norway's first World Cup since 1998 — and the last time they showed up, they beat Brazil.
04Opinions you can safely have
- Whoever wins the Vinícius-versus-Norway's-high-line battle wins the game.
- France already showed the blueprint — hit Norway early and hard before Haaland heats up.
- If it's tied after 70 minutes, I don't love Brazil's nerves — that hoodoo starts living rent-free in their heads.
05Jargon of the match
A stat measuring the quality of chances a player gets. Vinícius is scoring goals most players miss — say 'he's overperforming his xG' and watch heads nod.
06The call
Brazil 3-2 in the game of the round — the hoodoo finally dies at MetLife, but Haaland scores anyway and stays in the Golden Boot hunt.
Facts checked: 2026-07-05. Lineups drop ~1 hour before kickoff.