entered their Round of 32 clash with Côte d'Ivoire chasing a first-ever knockout-stage victory. It proved to be a stern test, but the Norwegians thanks in large part to , whose match-winning display earned him the Michelob Superior Player of the Match award.
, and if anyone in the Norwegian ranks knows a thing or two about Brazilian football, it's Nusa. Since joining RB Leipzig in 2025, he's formed a close partnership with Brazilian striker Romulo, and the two have become good friends. They've even exchanged a few messages ahead of Sunday's showdown.
"He's a nice guy and a very modest, hard-working person. He's a good person. I get on very well with Nusa. He deserves everything that's happened to him at the World Cup," Romulo told FIFA. "I even sent him a message, telling him to take it easy on Brazil [laughs]. I said I'll be cheering him on to score two goals, but for Vinicius Junior to score three. He laughed and said 'we'll see about that', but it won't be easy for him."
The Brazilian added: "He's my friend, we always work on finishing together after training. I told him he needed to shoot more, he's a good finisher. It's no surprise that he got Norway's first goal against Côte d'Ivoire."
Nusa has featured in all four of Norway's games at World Cup 2026, starting three of them. A skilful dribbler who thrives in the spaces around the edge of the penalty area and out wide, he offers a different attacking profile to team-mate .
In the 2025/26 season – his second with Leipzig since joining from Club Brugge – the 21-year-old registered five goals and five assists in 35 games.
"He's a very technical player. Quick over short distances, and often does things on the cuff. [He has] a unique style. He's got bags of quality. He makes the game easier not only for himself, but also for the team. When pressed, he'll just dribble away unexpectedly," explained Romulo, who registered nine goals and four assists of his own for Leipzig last season, but missed out on a place in Carlo Ancelotti's World Cup squad.
So how exactly do Brazil stop Nusa? Romulo knows better than most.
"You have to stay close to him. He only needs a little bit of space to make a big difference. If you give him too much room, he'll influence the game," the Leipzig man warned. "You have to get tight to him, stop him from turning and make sure he can't go past you."
After drawing with Morocco in their opening game, eventually topped Group C with victories over Haiti and Scotland, before coming from behind to defeat Japan in the Round of 32.
Facing Norway at next, the Seleção will attempt to overcome European opposition in a World Cup knockout game for the first time since the 2002 final, when Ronaldo stole the show in a .
"I could sense Brazil were a little nervous in their opening game. That's normal, being one of the tournament's big-hitters. But we keep growing and gaining in confidence. This will be an important game for us to show we have what it takes to be champions," Romulo said.
"If we win well, the squad will keep growing and gaining in confidence. Vini's in good form, Rayan, Matheus Cunha... they're all working well together. With the three of them gelling more and more, they have every chance of winning the whole thing."
Sources: FIFA Official
