More than 100,000 fans gathered in Oslo to celebrate the Norway football team's remarkable World Cup journey, despite their 2-1 defeat to England in the quarter-finals.
On Monday afternoon, supporters filled the grounds of the Royal Palace, turning a moment of heartbreak into a national celebration.
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The team arrived to a traditional water cannon salute and held a parade after meeting King Harald V.
Norway fan Catherine Breiland expressed her pride, saying, "I have felt very proud, it has been amazing, I have been both at home and in Spain, and the atmosphere between the Norwegian people has been there all the time, so it has been unbelievable."
Striker Erling Haaland was absent from the final celebrations, having left early to catch a flight.
Coach Ståle Solbakken explained, "Erling and Sander [Berge] had to catch their plane as our trip from the US was delayed four hours."
The team later continued their festivities in an open-top bus.
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The bus parade faced challenges, including delays caused by large crowds and low-hanging overhead cables, forcing the players to sit down briefly for safety.
Nicolai Sivesind, who attended the celebration, said, "The run the Norwegian team has had this year has been way beyond anything I’ve ever expected.
I feel everybody in Norway should just honour the national team, which has done such an amazing job during this whole cup."
The parade concluded at City Hall Square, where thousands of fans awaited the team's arrival. Captain Martin Ødegaard remarked, "I don’t think anyone had imagined this.
The support we have received in the USA and here at home in Norway has been beyond all expectations.
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It has been absolutely incredible to see."
