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First it was their fans performing a synchronized “Viking row” successful the stands astatine matches.
Then it was their players donning authentic Viking attire, implicit with weapons, shields and agelong boats, to the backdrop of a fjord for a moody, melodramatic photograph shoot.
“A imagination 28 years successful the making... let's bash this!” Norway prima Erling Haaland wrote connected the X level connected Monday (June 15, 2026), reposting the photograph of the squad on with 1 of his father, Alfie Haaland, competing for the nationalist squad successful the 1994 World Cup.
Norway is leaning into the country's centuries-old past arsenic its star-studded men's team, containing Haaland and Martin Odegaard, heads into a archetypal World Cup successful 28 years.
It has created plentifulness of excitement and debate.
“It was an inquire oregon a question from the (photographers),” Norway manager Stale Solbakken said Monday successful beforehand of his team's World Cup opener against Iraq. “The players wanted maine to bash it. They were positive. The federation was positive. And I was mean positive. And past we did it."
It could beryllium the caller “thunder clap”
The Norway instrumentality regular sees lines of supporters, wearing Viking helmets and the team's red-and-blue jerseys, rowing successful unison, guardant and backward, to the dependable bushed of a drum.
Expect it to drawback the oculus astatine the World Cup successful Norway's radical games astatine Foxborough, Massachusetts (against Iraq and France) and successful New Jersey (against Senegal).
It could perchance person a akin interaction to the “thunder clap” performed by Iceland's fans astatine the European Championship successful 2016 that resonated astir the satellite and has since been utilized by galore different sports teams.
One professional says the photograph is “chauvinistic”
The Norwegian shot federation commissioned British lensman David Yarrow to instrumentality the Viking snap, and helium said successful an interrogation with The Athletic helium knew “it mightiness get immoderate criticism.” Yarrow was right.
As good arsenic sparking wonderment for its breathtaking backdrop and creativity, it besides is regarded by immoderate arsenic arguable for harking backmost to a clip — successful the 800s and 900s — erstwhile Norwegian Vikings conducted raids featuring looting and pillaging.
One commentator, Markus Slettholm from regular insubstantial Morgenbladet, said the photograph was chauvinistic and “a spot reminiscent of what neo-Nazis were acrophobic with 10 years ago.” Solbakken doesn't spot the fuss.
“There are galore bigger and much hard topics,” helium said earlier the World Cup. “I can't spend to discarded clip connected that.” Yarrow antecedently worked with Haaland successful a solo photograph shoot.
The BBC reported that income of the Viking-themed squad photograph volition rise funds for Norwegian charities.
