Can Erling Haaland drag Norway past Brazil? White chicks, a jinx and a blockbuster World Cup clash

A fan made a meme. Haaland tagged Vinicius. Vinicius replied “HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH.” Even Terry Crews reacted.

And somehow, the most-watched Round of 16 fixture at this World Cup already has its own viral subplot before a ball has been kicked.

The meme may be lighthearted. Sunday’s game at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey is anything but.

The meme, the jinx and the man who believes this is Norway’s time

A fan-made edit recreated the iconic car singalong scene from the 2004 film White Chicks, placing Haaland’s face onto one of the leads and casting Vinicius in Terry Crews’ legendary role. Haaland spotted it and commented immediately: “We need to recreate this.”

Vinicius’ reply was simply “HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH.”The clip racked up millions of views within hours and perfectly set the tone for a match billed as the tournament’s great striker rivalry: Haaland’s five goals against Vinicius’ four, both trailing only Messi and Mbappe.

Haaland was asked before the game about Norway’s expectations against Brazil. His answer via Marca: “Small.” Whether that is humour or genuine humility, the underlying facts give Norway every reason for belief. Brazil have never beaten Norway in their history, in fact, lost twice.

This includes a famous 2-1 win for Norway at the 1998 World Cup. Norway’s four matches at this tournament have produced 18 goals, confirming they carry genuine attacking threat from multiple angles. But, also why they need to be wary defensively of Brazil’s threat.

What each side must be wary of: and why this is too close to call

Brazil have never come from behind to win a World Cup knockout match since 2002, until this tournament, when Gabriel Martinelli’s 95th-minute strike against Japan did exactly that. Ancelotti’s side carry attacking firepower but have leaked chances all tournament.

Bruno Guimaraes leads the tournament with four assists, channelling the kind of creative midfield authority that Brazil haven’t had in years, and Vinicius remains genuinely unplayable on his best days. Question is, will they stick to the tried and tested or will Endrick start?

For Norway, the danger is equally clear. Gabriel Magalhaes and Haaland have clashed repeatedly in Premier League combat between Arsenal and Manchester City, and the centre-back knows Haaland’s movement and physicality intimately.

If Gabriel can contain him, Norway’s route to goal narrows considerably. If Haaland escapes his influence even once, as he tends to, the five-time world champions have a very serious problem. Brazil are favourites. The record says they have no right to be.