On the evening of 16/11, Norway secured a dominant 4-1 victory in Italy, earning their spot in the World Cup finals in North and Central America.

The next day, the team received a hero's welcome upon their return to the capital, Oslo. After attending a celebratory ceremony with Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, Minister of Culture Lubna Jeffrey, and Oslo Mayor Anne Lindboe, the team appeared on the city hall balcony. There, they shared their joy with about 50,000 fans, collectively singing "All for Norway," the team's official song since the 1994 World Cup.

Following the public celebration, Erling Haaland and his teammates continued their festivities at a popular bar in Oslo, which also has a dedicated area for fans.

Haaland (second from right) celebrates the victory with his teammates in Oslo, Norway, on the evening of 17/11. *Photo: VG*

This qualification marks Norway's first World Cup appearance in 28 years. In their more than a century-long history, they have only participated three times: in 1938, 1994, and 1998.

However, Olof Lundh, a football commentator from neighboring Sweden, expressed strong disapproval. He described Norway's celebration as "pathetic" and "lamentable."

"Despite an impressive qualifying campaign, Norway has only just secured their spot," Lundh added. "They haven't achieved anything at the World Cup yet. I don't understand why they gathered the entire team to celebrate. That should only be done when you return from a World Cup with a medal or a significant achievement."

Lundh's comments were immediately met with strong reactions. Coach Stale Solbakken argued that it was reasonable for Norway to celebrate their World Cup qualification after nearly 30 years. He also reminded Lundh and the Swedish national team to focus more on their upcoming play-off stage for a wildcard spot.

Commentator Lars Tjaernas questioned when celebrating became wrong. He contended that without celebrations like Norway's, football would lose its value and appeal. He also criticized Lundh for feeling envious and mocking a neighboring team's success.

Olaf Tufte, a former rower and two-time world and Olympic champion, also supported Norway. "Our boys have achieved a significant milestone," Tufte stated. "They should celebrate and thank everyone who cheered them on. This is entirely appropriate."

In Northern Europe, Sweden has historically been more successful in football than Norway and Finland. They have produced many stars such as Nils Liedholm, Kennet Andersson, Martin Dahlin, Tomas Brolin, Henrik Larsson, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Sweden has participated in 12 World Cups, reaching the final in 1958 and finishing third in 1950 and 1994. In their most recent appearance in 2018, they were eliminated by England in the quarterfinals.

However, in the last four years, Sweden's performance has declined significantly. They faced heavy defeats in the World Cup 2022 and Euro 2024 qualifiers and are at risk of missing the 2026 World Cup, despite having stars like Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres. In the recent European qualifiers' Group B, Sweden failed to win any matches (drawing two, losing four), finishing last behind Switzerland, Kosovo, and Slovenia. They secured a play-off spot through their Nations League performance.