Honored in their hometown: "Surreal" World Cup highlight shared

Norwegian national football team coach Ståle Solbakken and assistant Kent Bergersen returned to their hometown of Kirkenær to a hero's welcome. The event, held at the local cinema, drew nearly 500 proud residents from the small community of 1,200 people.

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It was my highlight to see that the world's best center-back pairing… almost argued about who shouldn't be on him. In every duel, they bounced off. Then he scored. It was surreal.

Solbakken recounted his World Cup highlight: Erling Braut Haaland's goals against Brazil in the round of 16. He described the surreal experience of watching Haaland dominate world-class defenders like PSG's Marquinhos and Brazil's Gabriel. "It was my highlight to see that the world's best center-back pairing… almost argued about who shouldn't be on him. In every duel, they bounced off. Then he scored. It was surreal," Solbakken stated.

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The guys were of course crushed because they didn't get to play the semi-final. But also because they didn't get a week for a boys' trip.

The celebration also touched upon the team's camaraderie and the bittersweet end to their World Cup journey. Solbakken mentioned the squad was "crushed" after losing to England in the quarterfinals, not only for missing the semi-finals but also for the end of their "boys' trip."

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I'm not sure if it's harmless for health.

Reflecting on their roots, Solbakken and Bergersen were honored for their contributions, with the town planning to establish a permanent tribute. Their fathers, Svein Solbakken and Arne Bergersen, were local football stars who inspired their sons' careers. The community of Grue, where they honed their skills decades ago, embraced their national team success, with one local legend humorously suggesting it was fortunate they lost to England, otherwise, "the whole village would have been in rehab."

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It hit us hard. The World Cup was much bigger than we could imagine.