Solbakken calls out Ancelotti ahead of Norway vs Brazil

Brazil on Sunday, and it is real

Norway face Brazil in the World Cup round of 16 this Sunday, July 5 (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6). Your team is in the knockout stage for the first time in 28 years. The winners go to the quarter-finals. No second chances.

Solbakken: "Tell Ancelotti we are coming for him"

Ståle Solbakken is in the mood. After the Ivory Coast win, he looked into the camera and called out the Brazil manager by name. "You can wait, Carlo Ancelotti. We are coming after you," he said (1). The press conference was full of this energy.

Solbakken also shut down a question about Erling Haaland to Real Madrid. "I apologise for being a bit behind the journalists on this one, but I have more important things to think about than what you just asked me," he replied (1).

And on resting starters against France: "We do not need to be the naive country that just plays for fun. We are here to go as far as we can" (1).

Haaland and Vini Jr. keep it light

The mood is good. Erling Haaland and Vinicius Jr. traded messages on social media Thursday night, joking about recreating a scene from the film White Chicks. "We need to recreate this," Haaland wrote (3). Friendly fire before a knockout match.

Ullevål stays shut, Agder goes big

Ullevål will not open for a big-screen viewing if Norway reach the quarter-finals (4). But fans are not waiting. Agder is preparing a massive public celebration ahead of Sunday's match. "The phone does not stop ringing for a second," one organiser said (6). A family-friendly event is also planned so the youngest fans can watch Norway vs Brazil on a big screen (5).

Fan reactions

Norwegian supporters are riding the high. The tone online is one part disbelief, one part pure confidence after Solbakken's weekend press conference. Several fans called it the most entertaining managerial performance they had ever seen. See the full discussion on r/NorskFotball