Round of 16 · MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
Brazil
NorwaySunday, July 5, 4:00 PM EDT · 📺 FOX
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. One warning sign for Norway — France already blew them out 4-1 in the group.
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 got his first World Cup minutes since 2022 off the bench and is expected to feature.
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: 2026-07-03. Lineups drop ~1 hour before kickoff.