Norway Faces Brazil in the Round of 16 – Haaland Warns of Tired Legs

Solbakken can draw on his own experience against the "Seleção." He was part of the Norwegian squad that beat the South Americans 2-1 in the group stage at the 1998 World Cup, although he did not play in that match. Since then, Norway and Brazil have met in three more friendlies – two draws and one Norwegian victory.

Ancelotti Warns Against Complacency

Despite the historical reminiscences, Solbakken sees the Brazilians as favorites. "Brazil is naturally the favorite. But we hope we can challenge them. We're not playing for fun, we're playing to win and advance to the quarterfinals," said the 58-year-old.

On the other side, Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti warned against complacency. "We're doing our thing well. We're putting in good performances, but you can never be satisfied, because we want to play even better," said the Italian coach. To go far in the tournament, his team would have to play at "the highest level."

Haaland Between Fatigue and a Scoring Spree

At the center of Norway's hopes is Erling Haaland, who has already scored five goals at the tournament in the USA and has found the net in 13 consecutive competitive matches for the national team. The Manchester City striker, however, said he was "dead tired" after the game against Ivory Coast – his comments caused concern among supporters.

Haaland looked ahead to the duel with Brazil with a mix of anticipation and awe: "Playing Brazil now is completely crazy," he said. The excitement in Norway is enormous: the day after qualifying for the Round of 16, travel agencies reported high demand, direct flights from Oslo to New York were nearly sold out, and there were calls in the country for a public holiday on Monday.

Personnel Concerns for Brazil

For Brazil, Lucas Paqueta is doubtful for the match against Japan with a thigh injury, while Raphinha has returned to training after a thigh knock and could be available for the attack. Much in the rest of the tournament also depends on Vinicius Junior, who as a Real Madrid player sits one goal behind Haaland.

The omens for the Round of 16 could hardly be more different: Norway travels as the underdog with a tight-knit squad and a striker in top form, while Brazil steps onto the pitch as a co-favorite with a coach who demands respect and at the same time warns against carelessness. In Norway, meanwhile, hopes are high of emulating the 1998 coup – and simultaneously writing a new chapter in football history.