Brazil's World Cup end sparks emotions
Key Takeaways
- Brazil exited after Norway comeback.
- Fans praised the team's performance.
- Norway reached historic quarter-finals.
Supporters praised Brazil's performance and backed the team despite a 2-1 loss to Norway that ended its 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign.
Brazil's World Cup journey came to an end on Sunday, but supporters in New Jersey refused to turn their backs on the five-time champions after their Round of 16 defeat to Norway.
Fans gathered at Newark Fan Village watched Brazil fall 2-1, yet many said the team had done enough to deserve a different result.
Mario Medina believed Brazil controlled the match but paid the price when Norway's star striker made the difference.
"It was a good match. Brazil lost because they chose to. Brazil had the opportunity the whole time - they controlled the match for the full 90 minutes - but unfortunately, the ‘monster’ (Erling Haaland) arrived and finished them off," he said.
Norway secured victory with two late goals from Erling Haaland before Neymar Jr converted a penalty deep into stoppage time, but Brazil's late response was not enough to avoid elimination.
For supporter Gabriela Sayani, the defeat was painful but not the end of Brazil's story.
"My heart is broken. I think the team needed to be united. You know that with Brazil, you have to be strong. We’ll see - in four years, we’ll be back again," she said.
Another fan, Isabel Gonzalves, also defended the team's performance.
"Nothing was missing - it’s just what happens in a game: the winner wins. Brazil did what they could, but didn't win because it wasn't meant to be. Still, Brazilian soccer always stands tall," she said.
The victory sent Norway into the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in the country's history, surpassing its previous best finishes in 1938 and 1998 when it reached the Round of 16.
Norway will face England in the quarter-finals in Miami on July 11.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
