See Norway's epic viking team photos that have 2026 World Cup buzzing
See Norway's epic viking team photos that have 2026 World Cup buzzing
Mark Giannotto, USA TODAYTue, June 16, 2026 at 4:12 PM UTC
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Norway begins its 2026 World Cup with a group match against Iraq on Tuesday, June 16, but the team may have already left an indelible impression on soccer's biggest global tournament.
The Norwegians marked their first World Cup appearance since 1998 with a viking-themed photoshoot that has since gone viral for its presentation. The photos, taken by photographer David Yarrow and released earlier this month, feature Norway's soccer team posing together on a beach in front of three longships while wearing apparel their ancestors might have worn.
Norway star Erling Haaland, the Manchester City striker, is also pictured individually in viking garb.
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Yarrow named the series, "The Vikings are Coming," and declared it to be a "celebration of the departure of one of the most fancied teams in the tournament. This is a formidable football squad; the best that Norway has ever produced."
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"I would like to thank the Norwegian coach Ståle Solbakken for entertaining the idea in the first place, and the team captain Martin Ødegaard for accommodating this project after such a busy schedule for his club side Arsenal," Yarrow wrote on social media. "The players look like they are popping out from the pages of Norse mythology and that was always the intent. Of course, there is no more plausible a Viking than Norwegian national treasure Erling Haaland - making him look like a warrior was one of the easier tasks of my career."
Yarrow had previously photographed Haaland in Viking dress in an Oslo fjord in 2023, according to the BBC, and the idea to get a picture of the entire team originated from that experience.
Yarrow, from Scotland, was also the photographer when Team Europe posed in vintage prohibition-era suits and hats for a black-and-white photo in front of the Manhattan Bridge ahead of the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black.
Norway starts its first World Cup appearance in almost 30 years in Foxborough, Massachusetts as part of Group I action. The Norwegians also must contend with France and Senegal in their quest to make the knockout rounds.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Norway soccer team photo goes viral before historic World Cup return
Source: “AOL Sports”
