Very happy for Norway & my captain! Very sad for Brazil & my Gabis! Norway played very well. They came out, played how they wanted to play, took control, & put Brazil in a position where they would have to earn the game back, which they never did. Solbakken’s decision to take Nusa and Sørloth off at half time for Bobb & Schjelderup was bold, but paid off massively. Haaland is simply inevitable. Ødegaard controlled the midfield today, he was everywhere, & seemed to have more of the ball than the whole Brazilian midfield combined. Norway knew where their advantages were, they pressed on Brazil’s weaknesses, & they gave their alien up top the chances he needed to do his thing. I could definitely see this team beating England or Mexico if they continue to play like this & show this togetherness & spirit. I’m almost irrationally upset about how poor Brazil were. Their first few games this WC were certainly far from convincing, but there were signs it *could* keep improving, & they’re Brazil, so you can never count them out. That said, this was abysmal. I think what sticks out to me the most is the lack of confidence & belief in the whole team. Brazil lost the mental side of this match very, very early on (perhaps even days or weeks ago), & it showed all match. This sport is far more mental than we often give it credit for, & this is a great example of how dramatically a lack of belief, confidence, & desire can affect a team’s performance. Brazil just looked like they couldn’t get the thought out of their heads that they might well lose today, & once that doubt creeps in, it’s very, very difficult to overcome. Brazilian football is in a dire state, & figuring out what it needs to get back to its identity, its former glory, its joga bonito, is a daunting proposition for another day. That said, the ending of this match was a microcosm of at least some of the issues plaguing La Seleção, and I’m sad to say I don’t see it improving soon. (cont’d in comments lol)