Norway is remarkable FIFA World Cup run has now reached beyond football and into the digital world, with Google joining the viral ‘Viking Row’ celebration craze as superstar Erling Haaland encouraged fans to search for his name online in a cheeky post on social media.Ahead of Norway’s historic quarter-final against England, Haaland caught up with X with a simple but intriguing message.“One thing to do today…search my name on Google,” Haaland wrote.Fans who followed his advice were greeted by a hidden Google animation celebrating Norway’s now-iconic ‘Viking Row’ tradition, which has become one of the defining images of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Google is embracing the Viking Row trend
Searching for Haaland’s name triggers a party-popper icon on the Google search page. Clicking it unleashes animated Viking-themed characters wearing horned helmets and Norwegian flags, rowing in unison as the unmistakable drumbeat and crowd chant of “Ro!” echo through the animation.Repeated clicks produce more animated supporters, recreating the synchronized celebration that swept stadiums and social media during Norway’s fairytale campaign.The “Viking Row” sees thousands of supporters imitate the rowing of a viking longboat after victories, with Haaland, captain Martin Ødegaard and the rest of the Norwegian team regularly joining fans in the post-match ritual.The celebration quickly became one of the tournament’s most recognizable traditions, prompting Google to immortalize it with its own interactive Easter egg.
Haaland’s World Cup extends beyond football
The Google tribute is the latest sign of Haaland’s growing influence beyond the pitch.Earlier this week, the Manchester City forward surprised supporters by reviving his long-forgotten rap career by releasing a remix of his viral 2016 song “Kygo jo” alongside Norwegian DJ Kygo.Before becoming one of the deadliest strikers in world football, Haaland briefly formed the rap trio Flow Kingz with his youth teammates Erik Botheim and Erik Tobias Sandberg while playing for Bryne in Norway.The original track enjoyed a notable revival during Norway’s World Cup campaign, prompting Kygo to release a remix after Haaland’s brace inspired a stunning 2-1 round of 16 victory over Brazil.Sharing the remix on Instagram, Haaland joked: “It was the moment! Thanks, @kygomusic. Does this mean I’m officially an artist now?”
England next in Norway’s fairy tale race
Haaland has been one of the stars of the tournament, scoring seven goals, just one behind Argentina captain Lionel Messi and France’s Kylian Mbappe in the race for the Golden Boot.His tally also equals the most goals scored by a player in his first World Cup since Poland’s Grzegorz Lato scored seven in 1974.Norway’s stunning win over five-time champions Brazil secured the nation’s first World Cup quarter-final, where they will face England in Miami.As anticipation builds for the blockbuster clash, Haaland has ensured Norway dominates the headlines both on and off the pitch.