Brazil face Haaland and Norway hoodoo in World Cup last 16

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., July 3 : Brazil have spent decades collecting World Cup wins like precious stones but on Sunday in New Jersey they run into opponents who stubbornly refuse to join the pile - Norway.

The record five-times champions, chasing a sixth title, face Erling Haaland, Martin Odegaard and a Norwegian side who are the only team Brazil have played and never beaten.

Since their first meeting in 1988, they have met four times. Brazil have drawn twice and lost twice, including a 2-1 defeat at the 1998 World Cup when Bebeto scored for the South Americans before Tore Andre Flo and Kjetil Rekdal replied for Norway.

Brazil still topped that group, but the historical hurt remains. Norway, Hungary and Portugal are the only nations Brazil have faced at a World Cup without registering at least one victory.

Now Norway arrive brimming with hope and a talismanic centre forward in Haaland who is one of the best in the world.

Stale Solbakken's side finished runners-up in Group I after rotating almost their entire starting XI against France on matchday three, having already secured a top-two place with back-to-back wins.

The gamble seemed to have worked, with Norway beating Ivory Coast 2-1 in the round of 32 to claim the Scandinavian nation's first World Cup knockout victory, after previous exits to Italy in 1938 and 1998.

Solbakken was a player in that squad 28 years ago and now has the chance to guide Norway to their first World Cup quarter-final as a coach. With 17 wins and only three losses in the last two years, his team have enough good form behind them to make Brazil wary even before Haaland starts prowling.

"Haaland is a great player and he has already shown that on several occasions, both when he was in Germany and now in