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Norway's fans row in unison to celebrate and party properly during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, in which the Norwegian side is into the quarterfinal round.
Well, there's one fan that doesn't row, and he has gone viral.
The problem, the fan claims, is that the Vikings -- who Norway's fans are conceptually emulating -- didn't actually row.
They sailed, he says.
And, well, this is a controversy worth solving.
A Norway fan has gone viral for refusing to participate in the Viking Row after victories because it is "factually wrong," saying the Vikings didn't row over the Atlantic – they sailed 😅 #FIFAWorldCup
MORE: Christian Pulisic gives a terrible answer after World Cup-ending loss
Did Vikings row their boats?
How's this for an unsatisfying answer: Yes, and no.
The Vikings rowed some boats, but not all their boats.
When they traveled across large bodies of water, like potentially the Atlantic Ocean or large seas, those weren't rowboats. They had large sails on their ships for the longest portions of their voyages.
Rowing on the open sea would've been an extremely difficult way to travel.
However, when the Vikings headed up shallower bodies of water, like rivers, they had to row. A ship with a sail wouldn't work as well in that situation.
Vikings definitely had oars on their ships and they used them all the time to navigate European rivers pic.twitter.com/lYRCQxTMHT
— Gatewood (@GatewoodScout) July 10, 2026At that point, then, it almost becomes philosophical for the fan who refuses to row.
Does he believe everyone else is improperly representing the way the Vikings traveled in open water? If so, then his protest is at least a little valid.
But maybe every Norway fan knows that when they row, they're traveling up a river.
It's a key distinction, sort of -- but maybe it's time to just get in on the fun regardless.
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