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I am not Norwegian. I have never visited Norway. I don't speak a single word of their language, I don't recall ever eating their cuisine, and I do not personally know anyone from there. But I am so so incredibly sad over this loss. They had a beautiful run. It was joyous. It was incredible. Their cohesion and passion and excitement. The captain's corners. The celebrations. The traditions and the fans and the rowing and the drums and the emotions. Oh, I will miss you so much. Thank you for all the heart you gave, Norway.

Now that I've gotten a bit more equanimity, I do have to say: Norway, you have gifted me with a degree of World Cup joy I did not think I was capable of experiencing at the age of thirtysomething in this the year of our lord 2026. I have loved Norwayblring the boys melting in the heat and rowing after the game and homoerotically cuddling on the pitch with all of you. We'll always have Greensboro, and all that.

Their goal was to qualify (which they did emphatically) and maybe optimistically to get out of the group stage in a very hard group (which they also did emphatically) and no one expected them to get very far let alone to the quarterfinals, and therefore it's totally fine and okay and I'm not getting my hopes up and I don't care at all if they lose tomorrow. <-my affirmations about the Norway/England game (they are not working)