Gabriel Martinelli’s goal deep into stoppage time dragged Brazil into the World Cup’s knockout phase and delivered an immediate reward: a meeting with a Norway side that has never lost to the Seleção. Trailing to a disciplined Japan, the five-time champions had been staring at an early exit until Casemiro levelled early in the second half and Martinelli pounced in the 95th minute to seal a 2‑1 win at Houston’s NRG Stadium.

Norway’s passage was scarcely less anxious. They needed an 86th‑minute strike from Erling Haaland to overcome Ivory Coast 2‑1 in Dallas, a result that carried the Vikings into the last sixteen for the first time and gave them a fourth straight meeting with Brazil without defeat. The most famous of those came in 1998, when a 2‑1 group‑stage victory in France helped eliminate the then‑reigning champions, and two draws and another friendly win have reinforced a psychological edge that Norwegian manager Stale Solbakken insists his side must not lean on too heavily.

The contest pairs the tournament’s most prolific forwards. Haaland has five goals, one more than Brazil’s Vinícius Júnior, though the Real Madrid winger has had more attempts on goal and remains the attacking conduit Carlo Ancelotti has built around. Ancelotti, however, must reconfigure his midfield: Lucas Paquetá limped out of the Japan match with an injury that will sideline him, while Raphinha faces a late fitness test. Neymar is available but may begin on the bench, leaving Gabriel Martinelli and the emerging Rayan to supply width.

Awaiting the winners is a quarter‑final against Mexico or England, who meet later on Sunday at the Estadio Azteca. For Brazil, attempting to reach a fifth consecutive World Cup quarter‑final, the fixture carries the weight of history. For Norway, a side built around the generational talents of Haaland and Martin Ødegaard, it represents both a chance to extend an improbable hex and to break new ground in a competition they are only now beginning to treat as their own.