Norway's national football team returned to Oslo on 13 July, where they received a warm welcome despite their elimination in the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup.
The team—celebrated for delivering Norway's most successful men's World Cup run—arrived on a private jet from Florida, the United States. The report said the aircraft was escorted into Norwegian airspace by two F-35 fighter jets and was greeted at Oslo Gardermoen Airport with a water salute from a ceremonial fire truck.
Due to a flight delay, the squad reportedly landed about three hours later than scheduled. Head coach Ståle Solbakken was the first to disembark, followed by captain Martin Ødegaard and Norwegian Football Federation president Lise Klaveness. But the moment that drew the most attention was striker Erling Haaland, who stepped off the plane holding a stuffed raccoon souvenir—described as carrying a glass bottle—sparking laughter and discussion among onlookers.
Citing Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten, the report said Haaland bought the raccoon item earlier in Dallas, Texas, and had previously shared a related clip on social media.
After leaving the airport, the team headed to the Royal Palace, where they were received by King Harald V. Crown Prince Haakon also joined thousands of fans for the squad's now-famous "Viking Row" celebration, beating a drum to lead the crowd and recreate the team's signature post-win ritual seen during the World Cup.
The players later rode an open-top bus through central Oslo, with large crowds lining the streets, waving flags and chanting players' names, thanking the team for making national football history.
This was Norway's first men's World Cup finals appearance in 28 years. Led by Haaland—who scored seven goals—Norway reached the quarterfinals for the first time, including a surprise Round of 16 win over five-time champions Brazil, before being eliminated in extra time by England following a goal by Jude Bellingham.
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