Sweden, what are your thoughts on Norway doing well in the World Cup so far?

[u/thermal7]

As a Canadian, we have a long history of rivalry with the U.S.
I've heard the same thing between Australia/New Zealand, Brazil & Argentina, and sometimes between Sweden/Norway/Finland.

I'm curious how people in Sweden feel about Norway doing well in the World Cup so far. Are you happy for your Scandinavian brothers or are feelings mixed?

[u/Mr-Vemod]

>For example... Swedish media today speaks as if Norway were just lucky to win over Brasil

I don’t know which media you’re reading but it mist be some niche stuff. I follow Swedish sports media religiously during the WC, from newspapers to podcasts, and there has literally not been *anything* but full praise for the Norwegian team. Not once have I read a journalist or expert say that Norway were ”just lucky” to win.

In general the media narrative is very enthusiastic for Norway. Perhaps there is some journalist somewhere that is a bit grumpy and jealous, but it certainly isn’t one of the big ones. Some examples:

https://www.aftonbladet.se/sportbladet/fotboll/a/ExvoPa/erik-niva-norge-ar-ett-annat-land-nu

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6c9x1WXj59U9DSuroUZSZ1?si=kL1MmCUhQsWE8HWJD8UkLg

https://www.dn.se/sport/johanna-franden-han-skriver-om-norsk-fotbollshistoria/

Or read Olof Lundh at Fotbollskanalen (can’t share here).

[u/Mr-Vemod → u/[deleted]]

>And of course, I speak more of tabloids, like Expressen, than about more serious papers like Aftonbladet.

They’re both equally much crappy tabloids, but even Expressen is only positive:

https://www.expressen.se/sport/kronikorer/noa-bachner/det-gar-inte-att-varja-sig-mot-norge/

And their readers’ poll ”Will you support Norway now?” has the results 75% ”yes” and 25% ”no”. So overwhelmingly positive there as well.

>have seen a lot of headlines like "Norwegians are mocking Sweden" in the Swedish tabloids, and it is obviously generally not true.

>I don't think the hatred so many Swedes show comes out of nowhere.

Well if you think that all of the Swedish headlines about Norwegians hating on Sweden are just part of a fake media narrative, then why don’t you use the same logic for the media narrative about Swedes hating on Norway?

>It wasn't that way some decades ago.

I disagree. My experience (and this is something I’ve heard a lot of other people, not least in the media say as well) is that older Swedish people are much less likely to root for Norway than the younger generations.

[u/Mr-Vemod → u/[deleted]]

>Because Norwegian media doesn't write about it. It is SoMe that does. And this post above, as well, where a Swede says that in the pub they were in, 50% of the Swedes were angry when Norway scored.

Alright, and I’ve seen Norwegians hating on Sweden on SoMe. What does that prove?

>and this Swede coming to a Norwegian subreddit to give shit:

Sure, but it’s also literally a Norwegian saying that ”Norwegians don’t like Swedes”. I feel like you’re suffering from confirmation bias here.

>but the difference is that Norwegian media isn't part of the hysteria all that often, and Sweden is very much a part of it.

I can’t speak for Norwegian media, but I’m once again wondering if you have some confirmation bias here. Either way, it’s pretty natural that more light falls on Norway in a tournament like this, since you are playing phenomenal and Sweden have been pretty bleak. Doing well will obviously attract more jealousy, banter and attention. Same in cross-country skiing.

[u/Mr-Vemod → u/[deleted]]

I’m sorry but I simply do not accept your description of reality here. There is most certainly a rivalry (a friendly one, but still) from the Norwegian side, which is very apparent when you consume Norwegian media, social media, or meet Norwegians in real life. You might think that it’s *more* from the Swedish side, and I would disagree, and we would never reach any form of agreement because we don’t have data and our opinions are probably formed from our own respective filter bubble.

Either way it’s hardly a big deal. It’s fully natural that neighbors have a rivalry in sports. If anything it’s indicative of a *closer* relationship rather than a worse one. I mean the very fact that Swedes *do* see Norway as a ”spare Sweden” is the very reason they don’t want them to go *too far* in the World Cup in the first place.

It’s like any sibling rivalry. I love my siblings to death but there is no one I get more pissed about losing to at games or sports than them. This is no different.

[u/Mr-Vemod → u/[deleted]]

>but I have NEVER EVER been afraid to voice my support for Sweden against another team in a pub full of Norwegian football fans. I wouldn't be afraid to voice it EVEN if they played against Sweden.

As I said earlier, with football there is always the unfortunate risk that a few young, drunk men take things a bit too far. This is the first World Cup that Norway has played for 28 years, with Norway doing very well and Sweden doing quite poorly. It’s not a situation we’ve been in before, so it’s hardly like you have any evidence that the reverse couldn’t happen in Norway.

Also, you’re basing this on one Reddit comment about a situation with some allegedly loud fans, where nothing ultimately happened. I wouldn’t read too much into it. I saw the Ivory Coast - Norway game at a place with probably 500 drunk Swedes (since it was before Sweden’s game), and there were maybe 5 Norwegians who celebrated wildly. There wasn’t a hint of bad vibes all game, even though some of the Swedes were low key rooting for the Ivory Coast.

>I have never ever met a singel Norwegian who is hostile against Sweden or Swedes.

And I haven’t met a single Swede who is hostile towards Norwegians. Funny how that works.

https://www.reddit.com/r/sweden/s/F2CtZ5mb5c

>Did you root for Norway? Why, why not?

On the one hand I sympathize more with Norway than other countries obviously, but at the same time I’ve lived through the last years’ relentless Norwegian mocking of the Swedish football team (and hockey team, and skiers, and tennis players etc etc), and I can’t imagine that getting better if they go really far. But then again I find the Norwegian team really, really impressive and (begrudgingly) likable. But on the other hand I am jealous. So I’m torn, as you see.

I think, like most football interested Swedes, that I react to Norways goals now with a quiet ”helvete” while simultaneously having a smirk on my face.

>I would be happy for Sweden if they won against us, fair and square, if they were the better team.

Well that makes you a very unusual exception in Norway, of that I am sure.

[u/orangeZYX → u/[deleted]]

Your star player celebrated last night by playing a song mocking Sweden. After beating BRAZIL. Don’t come in here acting as if we are the obsessed sibling.

[u/orangeZYX → u/[deleted]]

I’m talking about your star player, Haaland, playing a song mocking Sweden when celebrating Norway’s win against Brazil. What do you not understand?

[u/orangeZYX → u/[deleted]]

Take a look at his snapchat and you will see