The 2026 FIFA World Cup’s Round of 32 delivered tension on Monday as Norway took on Côte d’Ivoire — a matchup between two group runners-up, both carrying what The Guardian described as “generational dreams into the knockouts.”
Antonio Nusa’s first-half goal gave Norway a 1-0 lead at the break, but the storyline was as much about what happened before the game. Norway’s decision to rest key players in their final group-stage match against France — essentially conceding that game — drew fierce criticism from fans and pundits. As one fan wrote to The Guardian’s live blog: “Lose today and that decision will come under enormous scrutiny.”
Norwegian coach Ståle Solbakken was visibly “suffering” on the bench, according to Dagbladet, standing with his family just meters behind him. Meanwhile, a separate Dagbladet column sparked debate by criticizing the Norwegian Viking-themed chants at the tournament, arguing they “rosemaler” — romanticize — “a dark past,” with one commentator bluntly labeling historical Vikings as “slave traders.”
Away from the pitch, French football continued its own form of agony. Bordeaux, a six-time Ligue 1 champion, was relegated to the sixth tier of French football after the national financial oversight body (DNCG) ruled the club failed to cover a €9 million budget deficit. It is a staggering fall for a club that was in Ligue 1 as recently as 2022 — and a cautionary tale about financial mismanagement in European football.
