Norway fans have much to celebrate as their football team continues their good run at the FIFA World Cup 2026, marching towards the quarter-finals and set to face England on Saturday for a place in the last four.Descendants of the Vikings – best known to many through history books and popular streaming series – have embraced a celebration inspired by their maritime heritage. Hundreds of Norwegian fans, accompanied by stars such as Erling Haaland and skipper Martin Ødegaard, came together to recreate the synchronized movement of rowing a Viking longship after each victory in this World Cup.The celebration emerged as one of the defining moments of this World Cup, becoming so popular that Google even created a special animation to honor it.However, one fan seems less than impressed with the group’s activity. While thousands of supporters joined the rowing celebration, Emil Lappen could be seen sitting in a silent protest, refusing to imitate the action.Speaking to Sky Sports in a video interview, Lappen explained the reason for his disagreement.“I just find it really stupid, that’s how I felt when they found out, that it’s stupid and annoying and I don’t want to do it.“This is a lot of what the Icelanders did, and it’s actually wrong. They didn’t row, they sailed across the Atlantic.Iceland’s famous Viking Clap became a worldwide sensation during UEFA Euro 2016. Iceland’s players and supporters stand together after matches, raising their hands before clapping in unison while chanting “Huh!” , creating one of the most iconic football fan celebrations.“All they wanted was the same reaction as the people, and then they just changed the movement. That’s the only thing. The Vikings sailed across the Atlantic. They didn’t row across the Atlantic,” added Lappen.Lappen argued that the celebration was not historically accurate and said he did not appreciate it.“The Vikings rowed rivers and things like that. But across the Atlantic, they sailed. I wanted to show that I didn’t appreciate it, and I think I got the message across. I support them comfortably from my chair at home. No rowing, no rowing anywhere!”The Norwegian fan also criticized the celebratory song associated with the rowing tradition.“A song they put out, along with rowing. They said they were going to row across the Atlantic and that’s why I was so upset about it.”
Origin of: Celebrate Viking Row
The now famous celebration was a fan’s idea. In December 2025, Norwegian supporter Ole Froystad, known as ‘Mr Row Row’, sings.“It’s really fun to see people come together and row as one. It creates a real sense of unity,” said FIFA’s Froystad. com, adding that the celebration turned out to be “bigger than I expected. It’s really crazy.”Norway’s official supporters’ club soon turned the idea into a matchday ritual. “It all started with Ole’s idea. Then we developed it together,” Torstein Hamran, a board member of the supporters’ club Oljeberget Supporterklubb told FIFA. com.The first test against Switzerland in March this year got mixed reactions. “Some people love it, while others think it looks silly,” he admits. But after a friendly against Sweden in June, everything changed. “It’s going to be big,” supporters predicted – and they were right. Hamran added.