Erling Haaland and the Norwegian national football team received a hero's welcome upon their return to Norway following their World Cup campaign, with the star striker notably carrying a taxidermied raccoon.
The team landed at Oslo Airport on Monday after their World Cup journey concluded with a 2-1 extra-time defeat against England in the quarter-finals. Haaland, who scored seven goals in five matches, was a standout player of the tournament, helping Norway achieve their best World Cup performance to date, marking their first appearance since 1998.
Upon arrival, the team's plane was met with a ceremonial water salute from fire engines, creating a rainbow. Haaland was photographed disembarking with a designer bag and the unusual souvenir: a stuffed raccoon mounted on a wooden base and holding an empty gin bottle.
The squad was subsequently honored at the Royal Palace in Oslo by King Harald and Queen Sonja, with thousands of fans gathering in the capital to celebrate the team's historic achievement. The team and fans were expected to partake in the "Viking Row" celebration, which became a signature of their World Cup run. A subsequent open-top bus parade through Oslo was also planned.
The team's return was delayed due to their chartered flight departing later than scheduled from Florida. The match that ended Norway's tournament, the quarter-final against England, saw Jude Bellingham score twice to secure England's victory. The game itself was not without controversy, with debate surrounding Bellingham's first goal. Norway had argued that the ball may have struck an overhead camera wire before falling to an English player, which should have resulted in the play being stopped. A second-half goal for Norway was also disallowed after Haaland was judged to have committed a foul before the corner was taken.
However, new evidence reviewed by FIFA, including footage from the spidercam itself, has indicated that the ball did not strike any cables during the build-up to Bellingham's controversial goal. Analysis of the ball's internal sensor data and video from various angles suggests a natural flight path, refuting claims of interference. Despite this, Norway's midfielder Sander Berge expressed frustration over the incident, calling it "ridiculous" and highlighting the impact of small margins in tight matches.