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Brazil vs Norway: Haaland and Gabriel’s rivalry takes centre stage ahead of World Cup clash
05th July, 2026 01:56 PM
One of football’s most heated individual rivalries is about to take centre stage at the 2026 FIFA World Cup as Norway face Brazil in Sunday’s round-of-16 showdown at New York New Jersey Stadium.
Norwegian striker Erling Haaland will once again come face-to-face with Brazil defender Gabriel, reigniting a battle that has captivated Premier League fans during Manchester City’s title duels with Arsenal.
Their intense clashes have frequently spilt over into heated confrontations, and this latest encounter could play a major role in deciding which nation books a place in the quarter-finals, where either England or Mexico awaits.
Former England forward Chris Sutton believes this is the standout personal contest of the tournament.
“For all the battling for the Golden Boot between the greats such as Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, Harry Kane, and Haaland, there have not been any great personal duels. Now we have one. This is the standout personal duel of the World Cup so far and make no mistake, it will have a huge bearing on the outcome of the game.” Sutton told BBC.
“It is the standout because of the bad feeling we know exists between the pair. I am sure there is a level of respect great players have for each other, but everything we’ve seen between them suggests they don’t like each other too much.”
More fireworks
Former England captain Alan Shearer also expects fireworks between the two players.
“That will be a great battle because there is definitely a bit of niggle there.
“They don’t like each other which is fine, you don’t have to like your opponent, and we have seen them have clashes before so that’s definitely one to look forward to.”
Adding another layer to the contest is Norway’s remarkable record against Brazil. Despite meeting four times, Brazil have never managed to defeat the Scandinavians, recording two draws and two losses. Norway remain the only national side Brazil have faced without ever claiming a victory.
Where the rivalry began
The feud traces back to September 22, 2024, during a dramatic Premier League encounter between Manchester City and Arsenal.
After John Stones struck a 98th-minute equaliser to rescue a 2-2 draw, Haaland ran into the goal to collect the ball before forcefully throwing it at the back of Gabriel’s head as the Arsenal defender stood disappointed.
Following the match, Haaland also confronted Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, delivering his now-famous message, “stay humble,” repeating the phrase twice.
Reflecting on those incidents later, Haaland said, “What happens on the football pitch stays there. That’s just how it is. It’s a battle, a war, so it’s normal to have provocative acts in football. It’s part of the game.”
Gabriel never forgot the episode. When Arsenal demolished Manchester City 5-1 in February 2025, the Brazilian celebrated his goal by roaring directly into Haaland’s face.
Explaining his actions afterward, Gabriel admitted: “I did it because he threw the ball at my head, to provoke him the way he provoked me. The moment we scored, he was right next to me, so I went straight to shouting in his ear.”
The exchanges continued throughout the following months. After scoring the winning goal in City’s 2-1 victory over Arsenal in April 2026, Haaland celebrated by singing the lyrics, “oh, oh, sometimes I get a good feeling”, from Flo Rida’s song “Good Feeling” into a television camera while wearing a triumphant grin.
That same match was another fiery affair. Gabriel appeared to aim a headbutt at Haaland during one confrontation and was fortunate to avoid being sent off. Both players instead received yellow cards.
The Arsenal defender had the final word after the Gunners lifted their first league title in 24 years. Gabriel shared a photo of himself holding the Premier League trophy while using the same Flo Rida track as the soundtrack, clearly referencing Haaland’s earlier celebration.
Now, their rivalry moves onto football’s biggest stage as Brazil and Norway battle with a World Cup 2026 quarter-final spot up for grabs.
