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EAST RUTHERFORD — Haakon Odden wasn't worried about being one of the few Norway fans in a sea of yellow Brazil jerseys. This was the 9-year-old's fourth World Cup match in two weeks, and he confidently predicted 20,000 red-and-blue clad Norwegians coming soon.
Odden was absolutely right. Though the crowd at MetLife Stadium had a decidedly gold-and-green glow, a massive herd of Norwegians started walking together from a special event for the Oljeberget, or supporters' club in English, at the Meadowlands Racetrack.
Most had been to all, or nearly all of the Vikings' five World Cup matches, necessitating a tour around the United States. The victor of the Norway-Brazil Round of 16 World Cup match at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, July 5 will play the winner of tonight's Mexico-England match in a quarterfinal on July 11 in Miami.
Benjamin Bramhan was a month old the last time Norway had qualified for the World Cup, and his friend Kristofer Andersen wasn't even born.
Both had flown from Bergen, the second-largest city in Norway, which they agreed "has no skyscrapers," to Charlotte, North Carolina, then driven a rented RV to Foxborough, Massachusetts, and then New Jersey — twice each — with brief detours to vacation on the beach in Provincetown, Massachusetts and the Outer Banks of North Carolina.
They sold their extra tickets to the Norway-Ivory Coast match in Dallas, and lost the money gambling in Atlantic City. Haakon had watched that match on TV with his dad, Geir Odden, but said it was his highlight because midfielder Antonio Nusa – his favorite player – had scored on a bending ball.
"It's all everyone in Norway has been talking about for 28 years. We've never experienced watching Norway in the tournament," said Bramhan, a 28-year-old attorney who had never visited New York City before.
Story continues below photo gallery
Brazil opened the World Cup with a 1-1 draw against Morocco on June 13 at MetLife Stadium. Brazil has advanced at least to the quarterfinals in the six World Cups since winning the trophy in 2002. To do so, Brazil will have to end a run of six successive defeats against European teams in World Cup knockout matches.
Norway, which defeated Senegal here in the group stage on June 22, has never advanced further than a World Cup round of 16.
'Best experience': NJ Youth Soccer players gifted World Cup tickets
"Latin Americans stick together," said Hector Quintanilla, who wore a green Mexico No. 10 jersey with his own first name on the back. "They speak Portuguese, but it's very similar to Spanish. We have a connection."
Quintanilla brought his son, Emilio, who had a No. 19 Mexico jersey, also with his first name. They'd flown from their home in San Jose, Costa Rica, with Hector Quintanilla's other son, Nicolas, who they dropped off for a bus ride to two weeks of camp in New Hampshire.
"The other guy thinks he's got the best deal," Hector Quintanilla joked. Emilio replied, "I think this is better. I can always go to camp. This is once in my life."
Brazil has been training at the Red Bulls' new facility in Morris Township and staying in Basking Ridge. The team returned to New Jersey after its 2-1 comeback victory against Japan on June 29 in Houston.
Flashback! Erling Haaland scores two World Cup goals for Norway at MetLife
Bobby Becht and his father, Casey, both wore Red Bulls' jerseys to the World Cup match. Season-ticket holders for the Major League Soccer team since 2012, Bobby planned to buy a Norway jersey once he got through MetLife Stadium security.
"Soccer's been my big thing my entire life," said Becht, a 21-year-old Morristown resident. "Instead of watching (the World Cup) on TV, I never thought about going to Qatar or Russia. Being able to drive 40 minutes, it's the coolest thing ever."
This article originally appeared on Morristown Daily Record: Brazil, Norway fans pack MetLife Stadium for knockout World Cup match
Continue reading...
Odden was absolutely right. Though the crowd at MetLife Stadium had a decidedly gold-and-green glow, a massive herd of Norwegians started walking together from a special event for the Oljeberget, or supporters' club in English, at the Meadowlands Racetrack.
Most had been to all, or nearly all of the Vikings' five World Cup matches, necessitating a tour around the United States. The victor of the Norway-Brazil Round of 16 World Cup match at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, July 5 will play the winner of tonight's Mexico-England match in a quarterfinal on July 11 in Miami.
Benjamin Bramhan was a month old the last time Norway had qualified for the World Cup, and his friend Kristofer Andersen wasn't even born.
Both had flown from Bergen, the second-largest city in Norway, which they agreed "has no skyscrapers," to Charlotte, North Carolina, then driven a rented RV to Foxborough, Massachusetts, and then New Jersey — twice each — with brief detours to vacation on the beach in Provincetown, Massachusetts and the Outer Banks of North Carolina.
They sold their extra tickets to the Norway-Ivory Coast match in Dallas, and lost the money gambling in Atlantic City. Haakon had watched that match on TV with his dad, Geir Odden, but said it was his highlight because midfielder Antonio Nusa – his favorite player – had scored on a bending ball.
"It's all everyone in Norway has been talking about for 28 years. We've never experienced watching Norway in the tournament," said Bramhan, a 28-year-old attorney who had never visited New York City before.
Story continues below photo gallery
Brazil opened the World Cup with a 1-1 draw against Morocco on June 13 at MetLife Stadium. Brazil has advanced at least to the quarterfinals in the six World Cups since winning the trophy in 2002. To do so, Brazil will have to end a run of six successive defeats against European teams in World Cup knockout matches.
Norway, which defeated Senegal here in the group stage on June 22, has never advanced further than a World Cup round of 16.
'Best experience': NJ Youth Soccer players gifted World Cup tickets
"Latin Americans stick together," said Hector Quintanilla, who wore a green Mexico No. 10 jersey with his own first name on the back. "They speak Portuguese, but it's very similar to Spanish. We have a connection."
Quintanilla brought his son, Emilio, who had a No. 19 Mexico jersey, also with his first name. They'd flown from their home in San Jose, Costa Rica, with Hector Quintanilla's other son, Nicolas, who they dropped off for a bus ride to two weeks of camp in New Hampshire.
"The other guy thinks he's got the best deal," Hector Quintanilla joked. Emilio replied, "I think this is better. I can always go to camp. This is once in my life."
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Brazil has been training at the Red Bulls' new facility in Morris Township and staying in Basking Ridge. The team returned to New Jersey after its 2-1 comeback victory against Japan on June 29 in Houston.
Flashback! Erling Haaland scores two World Cup goals for Norway at MetLife
Bobby Becht and his father, Casey, both wore Red Bulls' jerseys to the World Cup match. Season-ticket holders for the Major League Soccer team since 2012, Bobby planned to buy a Norway jersey once he got through MetLife Stadium security.
"Soccer's been my big thing my entire life," said Becht, a 21-year-old Morristown resident. "Instead of watching (the World Cup) on TV, I never thought about going to Qatar or Russia. Being able to drive 40 minutes, it's the coolest thing ever."
This article originally appeared on Morristown Daily Record: Brazil, Norway fans pack MetLife Stadium for knockout World Cup match
Continue reading...
