A Norwegian football fan refused to join in on his team’s viral Viking Row following his country’s victory over Senegal last night.
Norway supporters have been showing off the World Cup’s most eye-catching cheer – The Viking Row – in support of their team.
During the chant, several fans wearing Viking helmets have been seen rowing in unison in bars, on the stands and even on public transport, to embrace the heritage of their seafaring Scandinavian forefathers.
The cheer has quickly gone viral, with Norwegian politicians also appearing to adopt it.
But not everyone seemed to be a fan of the famous Viking Row.
One Norwegian football fan sat still on the stands as thousands of his countrymen performed the row during their country’s match against Senegal last night.
Norway’s players gathered tightly in a 10-row formation just inside the penalty area at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, facing their red-shirted supporters, shouting ‘Ro!’ while mimicking oarsmen.
Footage showed masses of Norwegian fans in the stands uniformly imitating the rowing motion.
A Norwegian football fan refused to join in on his team’s viral Viking Row
Norway supporters have been showing off the World Cup’s most eye-catching cheer – The Viking Row – in support of their team
Footage showed masses of Norwegian fans in the stands uniformly imitating the rowing motion
Norway coach Stale Solbakken, Erling Haaland and teammates perform the traditional Viking rowing celebration for their fans after a match against Senegal
But the video showed one man among the crowd sitting still and looking pensively into the distance, a stark contrast from his fellow jubilant supporters.
The Norway fan routine could potentially have a similar impact to the ‘thunder clap’ performed by Iceland´s fans at the European Championship in 2016, which resonated around the world and has since been used by many other sports teams.
As well as sparking wonder for its breathtaking backdrop and creativity, it is also regarded by some as controversial for harking back to a time, in the 800s and 900s, when Norwegian Vikings conducted raids featuring looting and pillaging.
Before jetting across the Atlantic, the Norwegian team recently posed for a photo shot by British photographer David Yarrow, dressed as Vikings ready to conquer the World Cup.
The photoshoot sparked controversy with woke critics accusing them of backing ‘chauvinism’ and use of ‘neo-Nazi’ imagery due to the Vikings’ large-scale raiding, colonising, pillaging and raping throughout their dominant era.
But that hasn’t put Norway off as they continue to stay true to their roots.
Making its first World Cup appearance since 1998, Norway is assured of advancing from Group I along with France.
The Vikings need to beat France on Friday for first place and what would appear to be an easier path in the knockout bracket.
