Brazil found themselves trailing 1-0. Initially, a handful of supporters in yellow jerseys wandered up the aisles and out to the concourse, reflecting on the substantial investments they had made to be present, as well as the fading hope of their nation securing a sixth World Cup title. Soon, a steady flow of Brazilian fans began to exit the venue.
They had a foreboding sense of the outcome. Brazil was destined to exit at this stage of the tournament, marking their earliest elimination since 1990. This defeat meant they would go six World Cups without lifting the trophy, their longest drought yet.
Erling Haaland’s second goal sealed Brazil’s fate. Neymar’s penalty in injury time was merely a consolation.
When Ismail Elfath blew the final whistle, the Brazilian players did not rush off the field. They remained, either standing in shock or sitting on the bench in disbelief, as if refusing to accept the finality of their World Cup journey.
What had transpired? They had squandered a penalty kick and several other promising opportunities. Moreover, Haaland had delivered a standout performance, sending Brazil home with a 2-1 defeat.
Vinícius Júnior, who had finally shown the form Brazil had been hoping for, could not turn the tide. Much of Brazil’s offensive threat against Norway stemmed from his skillful play. However, Vinícius was not permitted to take the crucial first-half penalty; that responsibility fell to Bruno Guimarães, whose hesitant attempt was easily saved by goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland.
Endrick, the young talent, also failed to impact the match. After being substituted in the second half, he received a perfectly threaded pass from Vinícius but miscontrolled it and shot wide.
Neymar, returning as a substitute midway through the second half, sparked excitement among the Brazil fans. He showcased his trademark stepovers, appearing both agile and sluggish simultaneously, reflective of his late-career stage. He did score a late goal from the penalty spot after some banter with Nyland, but it proved insufficient.
Carlo Ancelotti could not rescue Brazil either. The seasoned coach managed to bring Vinícius into form and secured convincing 3-0 victories against Haiti and Scotland after an opening draw with Morocco. He orchestrated a late comeback against Japan, but ultimately, that was all he could achieve with this squad.
Norway had never lost to Brazil in four previous encounters and had previously defeated them during the group stage of the 1998 World Cup, a match where Brazil had already advanced. They thoroughly deserved to reach their first-ever World Cup quarter-final. This was no fluke; Ståle Solbakken’s team created their own scoring opportunities, nearly taking the lead in the third minute when Alexander Sørloth was caught offside before assisting Patrick Berg, who finished well.
This defeat leaves an uncomfortable question lingering: are the Brazilian national team members more of a brand than a cohesive unit? They still represent the gold standard in international football with their rich history and global appeal. However, it has been a while since they matched their own high expectations. Their 2019 Copa América triumph, their first in 12 years, has now been overshadowed by three successive failures to reach the World Cup semi-finals, with the last such appearance being far from impressive.
The Brazilian squad appeared distinctly unremarkable and hesitant at this World Cup, appearing reactive rather than proactive. They brought an incomplete team to North America. Young Endrick, at 19, was not adequately prepared for this level, leaving Brazil without a reliable striker. The midfield was comprised of aging players with limited creativity. Ancelotti remarked post-match, “It’s very evident that in the midfield, we have to move some players,” This need for rejuvenation extended beyond the midfield.
Ancelotti’s strategy was designed to capitalize on Norwegian errors. Yet, even when such chances arose during a slow-paced and disorganized match, the Seleção failed to seize them. There was an overall lack of urgency, leading to a sense of complacency. Brazil faltered when Andreas Schjelderup managed to evade his marker and delivered a cross to Haaland’s head for the opening goal in the 79th minute.
Before long, the Norwegian squad was celebrating their victory with a Viking chant alongside their supporters, as the last of the Brazilian players trudged off the pitch.
“We need some young talent. We need some high-level players to be able to come into Brazil to play for the national team.” Ancelotti stated, adding a perplexing observation. “Obviously, everyone is profoundly disappointed given what happened,”
“We didn’t do a spectacular World Cup campaign, but we did a good one. “Bottom line, we have to find new ideas. I don’t think it’s the end; it’s the beginning of the new cycle. At this point, we have to deal with our feelings, manage our sadness and start again tomorrow.”
As of Sunday, there remain nearly 1,500 tomorrows until Brazil embarks on their next World Cup journey.
