Brazil forward Vinícius Júnior has congratulated Norway and Erling Haaland following their Round of 16 victory over Brazil on Sunday, 5 July 2026, a result that sent the Seleção out of the World Cup earlier than expected.
Norway stunned the football world by knocking out one of the tournament favourites, with Haaland scoring two goals to seal a historic win.
Speaking to the media after the match, Vinícius Júnior praised Haaland’s efficiency and quality, calling him an amazing player. This was his exact statement:
Erling Håland is an amazing player, he doesn’t need many chances to score. He got one chance and put it in, then he got the ball again, and created his own goal and scored again. Congratulations to Norway and to Erling Haaland, he has always shown a lot of respect to Brazilians, and to me personally.
Brazil’s elimination has shocked fans worldwide, especially as they were widely tipped to challenge for the 2026 World Cup title as Softfootball can confirm that Brazilian superstar Neymar has officially announced his retirement from international football, bringing an end to one of the most iconic careers in the history of the Seleção.
