{"id":6501,"date":"2026-07-04T21:34:08","date_gmt":"2026-07-04T21:34:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=6501"},"modified":"2026-07-04T21:34:08","modified_gmt":"2026-07-04T21:34:08","slug":"brazil-is-still-favored-vs-norway-at-the-world-cup-yet-an-upset-wouldnt-rival-1998","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=6501","title":{"rendered":"Brazil is still favored vs. Norway at the World Cup, yet an upset wouldn\u2019t rival 1998"},"content":{"rendered":"
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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) \u2014 St\u00e5le Solbakken knows all about Norway\u2019s stunning upset of Brazil during the 1998 World Cup. He was a reserve and watched from the sideline in Marseille as his teammates delivered arguably the biggest victory in men\u2019s soccer in the Scandinavian country\u2019s history.<\/p>\n

Read more Conquered heroes: For Cape Verde, a World Cup run means many things will change<\/a><\/p>\n

Now coaching the national team, he also knows facing Brazil on Sunday in the round of 16 is much different than that game nearly three decades ago in group play when his powerhouse opponent had nothing to play for. This time, a spot in the quarterfinals is at stake, and while Solbakken acknowledges it would still be a surprise if Norway knocks off the five-time World Cup champions, it is a realistic possibility in a matchup that is much more evenly matched.<\/p>\n

\u201cI still see obviously Brazil is the favorites (but) I don\u2019t think they are big, big, big favorites, which they may be had been some years ago,\u201d Solbakken said Saturday at a news conference ahead of the game. \u201cWe still need to be our very, very best. Otherwise, we have no chance. But if we are on our very, very best, then we have a chance.\u201d<\/p>\n

The oddsmakers back the 58-year-old\u2019s assessment, with Brazil a slight favorite to advance to play the winner of the titanic matchup between Mexico and England on July 11 outside Miami. Sele\u00e7\u00e3o has won three in a row since opening the tournament with a draw against Morocco, also at the Meadowlands in northern New Jersey.<\/p>\n

Norway has a win of its own at the stadium outside New York, defeating Senegal to advance to the knockout round. Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti called Norway a challenging opponent because of structure, as well as talent.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey have great players,\u201d Brazil midfielder Bruno Guimar\u00e3es said through an interpreter. \u201cThey are not in the knockout rounds by accident. It\u2019s not that we are not respecting Norway. We just believe in our football. We believe in our country, and we want to continue on this dream.\u201d<\/p>\n

Norway\u2019s Erling Haaland and Brazil\u2019s Vin\u00edcius J\u00fanior are the stars to watch<\/h4>\n

Standout Norway striker Erling Haaland has five goals at the World Cup, 25 over his past 14 competitive matches internationally and 60 in 53 with the national team. His next challenge is trying to shake Brazil\u2019s back line duo of Gabriel Magalh\u00e3es and Marquinhos that Solbakken called one of the best central defenses around.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere will certainly be some tough duels between them and Erling,\u201d Solbakken said. \u201cBut for me it\u2019s more about Brazil against Norway and not that those two against Erling.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

At the other end, Brazil features a dangerous forward trio led by Vin\u00edcius J\u00fanior. He and Matheus Cunha have combined for seven goals through four games.<\/p>\n

Asked to compare the 6-foot-5, 205-pound Haaland and the 5-foot-9, 170-pounder known as \u201cVin\u00ed,\u201d Solbakken said, \u201cOne is a machine that you can see the accelerations and the great physique, and the other is more a ballerina that can dance with the ball.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more Morocco beats World Cup co-host Canada 3-0 and advances to the quarterfinals<\/a><\/p>\n

Guimar\u00e3es called Haaland one of the best attacking players in the world, in the same stratosphere as England\u2019s Harry Kane. <\/p>\n

\u201cHe is really something else,\u201d Guimar\u00e3es said. \u201cWe have to mark and attack. We do have to attack, but we got to make sure that somebody stays on him because with one ball he can decide the match and we don\u2019t want to let him have it.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Feeling the heat<\/h4>\n

Since Norway joined Brazil practicing in New Jersey this week, each team has been subjected to the elements of the heat wave ravaging the East Coast. Solbakken said the temperatures being as high as 37 degrees Celsius (99 Fahrenheit) have meant players are not going at full speed but otherwise shook off the effects.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s an incredible heat, but we are still full of energy,\u201d Solbakken said. \u201cThis is a group of friends who have spent a lot of time together now, and they are in a great mood. We haven\u2019t noticed the heat at all, actually.\u201d<\/p>\n

Guimar\u00e3es expects the heat to be a factor Sunday, though rain is expected overnight, cooling things down to a high temperature of 85 degrees (29.44 Celsius) and there is a chance of rain and thunderstorms.<\/p>\n

Brazil not expected to have Lucas Paquet\u00e1<\/h4>\n

Brazil midfielder Lucas Paquet\u00e1, who limped off at halftime and exited the round of 32 game against Japan, is not expected to play because of a hamstring injury.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe do not have anyone else on the team with the same characteristics of Lucas Paquet\u00e1, so we\u2019ll have to find someone else,\u201d Ancelotti said, while declining to reveal his plan. <\/p>\n

Norway defender Julian Ryerson is a candidate to return after leaving early in the game against Senegal on June 22 with injury. He has not played since, and Solbakken similarly was coy about his lineup other than to say to expect Alexander S\u00f8rloth and Oscar Bobb to each play at some point.<\/p>\n

Read more Fortes, Caminero hit HRs, Rays beat Astros 3-1 for 9th straight win<\/a><\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

See more of AP\u2019s World Cup coverage here <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) \u2014 St\u00e5le Solbakken knows all about Norway\u2019s stunning upset of Brazil during the 1998 World Cup. He was a reserve and watched from the sideline in Marseille as his teammates delivered arguably the biggest victory in men\u2019s soccer in the Scandinavian country\u2019s history. Now coaching the national team, he also knows [\u2026]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6500,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37,6,64],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6501","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-soccer","category-sports","category-world-cup-2026"],"yoast_head":"\nBrazil is still favored vs. Norway at the World Cup, yet an upset wouldn\u2019t rival 1998 - Orlando Relocation Report<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=6501\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Brazil is still favored vs. Norway at the World Cup, yet an upset wouldn\u2019t rival 1998 - Orlando Relocation Report\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. 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