Brazil knocked out by Norway as Haaland brace ends Seleção World Cup run

Norway eliminated five-time champions Brazil from the FIFA World Cup with a 2-1 victory on July 5, 2026, as Erling Haaland scored both goals to move level with Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé on seven tournament goals.

On CVM's Fan Central Extra Time panel, assistant Mount Pleasant coach Dave Ferguson said Haaland stayed ready despite limited touches, heading the opener and finishing the second with precision. Former Trinidad and Tobago international Brent Sancho, who played at the 2006 World Cup, called Norway deserving winners who controlled the second half and punished Brazil's long-standing midfield problems.

Brazil held just 34% possession — described on the programme as their lowest at a World Cup — with Ferguson linking that to the absence of Lucas Paquetá, who he said normally sets the team's tempo. Brazil also missed a penalty and saw substitute Hendrick fail to convert a chance within 15 seconds of coming on. Ferguson noted Brazil's expected goals were far higher than Norway's, yet they were not clinical enough.

Debate centred on why Vinícius Júnior did not take the spot kick. Ferguson said designated orders and statistics supported coach Carlo Ancelotti's call, noting Vinícius has a roughly 68% career conversion rate from the spot. Sancho argued a marquee player should step up in that moment, as stars such as Mbappé and Haaland do for their countries.

Panellists also discussed Brazil's wider decline since their last World Cup title in 2002, their fifth-place finish in South American qualifying, and whether Ancelotti will keep the job — opinions split between keeping him to rebuild and replacing him after a round-of-16 exit not seen since 1990.

In other tournament talk, panellists questioned optics around the withdrawal of a red card shown to USA forward Folarin Balogun in a win over Bosnia, amid reports of political appeal, and praised England's 3-2 victory over Mexico at the Azteca despite playing much of the match with ten men after Ethan Nwaneri was sent off. England coach Thomas Tuchel was credited for structure and resilience, with Jude Bellingham highlighted as a match-winner ahead of a quarter-final meeting with Norway.