The final whistle at MetLife Stadium confirmed Norway’s 3-2 victory over Senegal, but the enduring image was not a goal. Thousands of red, white and blue-clad supporters sat in unison, stretched out their arms and began to row, chanting “ro” as captain Martin Ødegaard beat a large drum. The players on the pitch mirrored the motion, transforming the stands into a longship. The moment, captured and shared globally, marked the arrival of a celebration that has become the visual signature of this World Cup.

The choreography traces back to Ole Frøystad, a primary-school teacher from Norway now known as Senhor Row Row. He told Norwegian media that the rhythm was inspired years ago by the three-syllable chant for Rosenborg BK at Lerkendal Stadion, where the percussive force of the first syllable “Ro” struck him. As Norway prepared for its first World Cup appearance in 28 years, Frøystad refined the rowing motion into a simple, repeatable routine. Since the tournament began, his social-media following has surged past 50,000, and the celebration has been performed on subway platforms, escalators and, most notably, in a mass gathering in Times Square that one participant described as “the craziest thing I’ve ever experienced.”

Viewed from Stockholm, the ubiquity of the Viking row has drawn a cooler response. Swedish defender Gustaf Lagerbielke told a press conference that the sight prompts a sigh, adding that the irritation is directed more at television crews who zoom in on it at every opportunity. Midfielder Elliot Stroud called it “a bit overplayed.” The Swedish reaction, reported by the TT news agency, underscores how a fan performance can become a point of gentle regional friction even as it captivates a global audience.

Norway’s rowers are not the only supporters imprinting a national character on host cities. Scotland’s Tartan Army, an estimated 50,000 strong, has moved from Boston to Miami in kilts and with bagpipes, adapting the melody of Rodrigo’s “La mano de Dios” to cheer a side that finished third in Group C and now waits on results to advance as one of the best third-placed teams. Congolese fans have rallied around Michel Nkuka Mboladinga, who attends matches as a living statue of independence leader Patrice Lumumba, motionless for entire games. These expressions, analysts note, function less as claims to ancient authenticity than as instantly legible, cross-border cultural signals.

Norway’s row has already reached the country’s political institutions: the president of the Norwegian parliament, Masud Gharahkhani, performed the motion in Oslo to show support. With the team through to the last 32 and a final group match against France still to play, the rowing is guaranteed at least one more voyage.