Norway Head Coach: We are ready to eliminate Brazil

Ståle Solbakken has backed Norway to create one of the biggest shocks in its football history when it meets Brazil in the 2026 World Cup last 16.

The Norway coach said Brazil remain the clear team to beat, but argued the gap between the sides is smaller than in the past. He said Norway need their best level to have any chance, adding that the country has beaten Brazil before.

Solbakken also used his pre-match press conference to compare the two teams' main attacking talents. He described Erling Haaland as a "machine" and Vinícius Júnior as a "dancer".

Asked about his earlier line to Carlo Ancelotti — "Carlo, we're coming for you" — Solbakken struck a respectful tone. He called Ancelotti one of the greatest coaches in European football history, pointing to his five Champions League titles and success across Europe's top leagues.

Norway, built around a generation that also includes Martin Ødegaard, Alexander Sörloth and Antonio Nusa, are chasing a first place in the World Cup quarter-finals for decades. For Solbakken, who saw his playing career cut short by a cardiac arrest in training 25 years ago, it would be the defining night of his coaching career.