Thousands of Norwegian fans participated in a huge celebration with the “Viking Row” through the streets of Oslo this Tuesday (1), after the country’s team advanced to the round of 16 of the World Cup, in a night of unbridled jubilation that left a trail of damage on subway trains and the city’s streets.
A huge crowd dressed in red, blue and white stretched from the Royal Palace for several meters along Karl Johans Gate, the city’s main street, performing the synchronized paddling movement that has become the hallmark of Norwegian fans at their team’s World Cup matches.
Norway beat Ivory Coast 2-1 on Tuesday, their first World Cup knockout victory, in this case in the round of 32 of the tournament, bringing tens of thousands of fans to the streets of Oslo to celebrate.
Near the Royal Palace, overly enthusiastic fans uprooted plants.
“I don’t even want to imagine what will happen if we reach the final,” royal gardener Ole Johan Hildre told Norwegian broadcaster NRK.
Public transport authorities had to take subway cars out of service for repairs after fans tore down advertisements and dented the roofs of the cars during the post-game celebration.
“It’s unfortunate that people get so carried away that it affects our equipment,” Gina Scholz, communications manager for public transport operator Sporveien, told local media, although she then added: “It was a fantastic night.”
More than 2 million of Norway’s approximately 5.5 million inhabitants watched the match, according to estimates from TV2, the commercial broadcaster that holds part of the rights to the tournament.
