Oliseh pinpoints Brazil’s decline

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Former Super Eagles captain and coach, Sunday Oliseh, has delivered a scathing verdict on Brazil following their 2-1 defeat to Norway in the round of sixteen of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, insisting the five-time champions have lost the identity and quality that once made them one of football’s greatest teams, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

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Manchester City striker, Erling Haaland, rose to the occasion when it mattered most, heading Norway into the lead in the 80th minute before doubling their advantage ten minutes later to inspire a famous victory over the Selecao at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford.

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Neymar pulled one back from the penalty spot deep into stoppage time, but it proved a mere consolation as Brazil suffered their earliest World Cup exit since 1990.

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The result also secured Norway’s place in the World Cup quarterfinal for the first time in the country’s history, setting up a meeting with England in Miami on July 11.

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Reacting to Brazil’s exit, Oliseh lamented what he described as a complete decline in the team’s identity, pointing to Haaland’s second goal as a damning summary of the gulf between the current side and Brazil’s former dominance.

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“Erling Haaland’s second goal tells you everything you need to know. Look at the tactical shape, look at the body language, the Brazil we used to know is completely gone.

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This Brazil side is sadly and completely playing ordinary. Bravo Norway. This World Cup continues to amaze,” Oliseh wrote on X.

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Brazil had earlier been left to rue a missed first-half penalty by Bruno Guimaraes, with Haaland, who had a quiet game until his intervention, stealing ahead of centre-back Gabriel to meet a cross from Andreas Schjelderup and put Norway ahead in the 79th minute, before sealing progress with a superb low drive from outside the box on the 90th minute.

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Brazil were awarded a stoppage-time penalty of their own after referee Ismail Elfath ruled that Leo Ostigard had elbowed Casemiro, and Neymar converted, but it was not enough to alter the outcome.

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Norway goalkeeper, Orjan Nyland, was influential throughout, denying Vinicius Jr and later palming away a looping effort onto the post in the 86th minute, as Carlo Ancelotti’s side struggled to find a way past a resolute Norwegian defence despite introducing Neymar and teenager Endrick from the bench.

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