Even as Norway celebrated a historic advancement to its first-ever World Cup quarterfinal, one fan chose not to participate in the widely shared "Viking Row" celebration. Emil Lappen told Sky News that he finds the team's popular post-match ritual "stupid and annoying" and believes it is historically inaccurate.
The "Viking Row" involves fans performing a rowing motion in unison after matches. This celebration gained significant attention following Norway's 3-2 victory over Senegal at MetLife Stadium, where a large contingent of fans participated.
Lappen, however, stated that the celebration borrows too heavily from a similar ritual previously performed by Icelandic fans and that its premise is flawed. "They didn't row, they sailed, over the Atlantic," Lappen explained, suggesting that historical depictions of Vikings involve sailing rather than rowing for long-distance travel.
Sky News anchor Barbara Serra noted that the "Viking Row" motion is distinct from the "Thunderclap," a popular chant and clapping routine employed by Icelandic football supporters during the 2016 Euros and 2018 World Cup. Despite this, Lappen maintained that the intention behind the "Viking Row" was to elicit the same crowd reaction as the "Thunderclap," with only the motion altered.
The "Viking Row" celebration has also been adopted by the Norwegian team, including star player Erling Haaland. Nevertheless, Lappen indicated he would watch Norway's upcoming match against England from home, continuing his refusal to join the popular fan activity.
Norway's current World Cup run marks its best performance in the tournament, having not appeared since 1998. The team's progression to the final eight has been a significant achievement for the nation's football history.