Norway defeated Brazil 2-1 in the Round of 16, producing one of the biggest upsets of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Erling Haaland scored two goals to help his country reach the quarter-finals for the first time. Brazil’s only goal came from Neymar in stoppage time, but it wasn’t enough to prevent an early exit.After the final whistle, there was a moment that caught the attention of soccer fans. As Haaland spoke to reporters after being named player of the match, Brazil star Vinicius Junior walked up to congratulate him with a warm hug. The emotional exchange comes just days after the pair went viral online due to a funny AI-generated White Chicks meme.
Vinicius Junior congratulates Erling Haaland following viral meme and Norway’s famous World Cup win
Erling Haaland has once again proven why he is one of the best strikers in the world. The Norwegian captain remained silent for most of the match until scoring twice in the final minutes. His goal sealed a historic victory and eliminated five-time world champion Brazil from the tournament.Immediately after the match, Haaland was surrounded by reporters and discussed Norway’s famous victory. Vinicius Junior appeared during the interview and hugged the striker before congratulating him on his performance.The Brazilian winger’s gesture quickly went viral on social media. Many fans praised Brazil’s showing of respect despite being disappointed in their loss.The moment was even more special as Haaland and Vinicius had already headlined together before the match.Just a few days ago, both stars responded to the viral AI-generated White Chicks meme that entertained soccer fans around the world. In the edited video, Haaland and Vinicius’ faces replace the faces of the characters in the hit comedy movie during the famous car karaoke scene featuring Vanessa Carlton’s song “A Thousand Miles.”The clip quickly spread across social media, garnering millions of views.Rather than ignore this trend, Haaland decided to join in on the fun. He joked online that he and Vinicius should reenact the famous scene in real life. His light-hearted comments quickly caught the attention of fans.Vinicius responded with a laugh, making it clear that he too enjoyed the joke. Their friendly online exchange became one of the most talked about moments before the final between Norway and Brazil.A few days later, the two soccer stars met again, this time on world soccer’s biggest stage.It was a painful result for Brazil. Bruno Guimarães missed a first-half penalty, while Haaland’s late double ended Brazil’s hopes of winning a World Cup. Neymar scored from the penalty spot just before stoppage time, but the fightback was too late.Haaland’s two goals took his tally to seven in the competition, leveling him with Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé in the Golden Boot race. He currently has an impressive 62 goals in just 54 international appearances.Although Brazil’s World Cup trip ended in disappointment, Vinicius Jr.’s sportsmanship drew much praise.
