Meet Mr Row Row, the man who invented Norway's viral World Cup Viking row

Ole Frøystad, known as "Mr Row Row," is the mastermind behind Norway's viral Viking row, a fan chant that has become a major sensation at the World Cup. With his shoulder-length blond hair, Norway jersey, and signature Viking horns, Frøystad embodies the fervent Norwegian football fan. He is overjoyed to see his country performing well on the world stage and to have his creation embraced globally.

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I wanted to do something to help them perform on the pitch. That's been super important to me and that's why I've been always in the stadium yelling, yelling and trying to support them.

Frøystad's motivation was simple: "I wanted to do something to help them perform on the pitch," he told ABC Sport. "That's been super important to me and that's why I've been always in the stadium yelling, yelling and trying to support them."

Similar to Iceland's famous "Viking clap," the Norwegian chant draws inspiration from medieval history. The concept is straightforward: fans sit down as if in a Viking vessel, follow two drum beats, then pull an imaginary oar while shouting "ro," the Norwegian word for "row." The pace intensifies until everyone is rowing furiously, culminating in cheers. Frøystad conceived the idea years ago while watching Norwegian side Rosenborg and their supporters' chant, which divided their name into parts: "ro," "sen," and "borg." He was captivated by the sound and impact of "ro."

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In the chant, they divided their name into three parts; one part yelled 'ro', then the other 'sen' and then the third 'borg.' And I always loved the sound of 'ro' and what an impact and pressure that made on the stadium. So for many years I really enjoyed that and thought about it.

As Norway neared qualification for their first World Cup since 1998, Frøystad focused on creating a chant for the tournament. "We need something with culture, showing where we're from," he explained. "And then I wanted something Viking-ish, something hard." The idea struck him: "ro" means rowing, and it has a cool movement. He collaborated with the Norway supporter group Oljeberget to refine the chant's execution and drumbeat integration. "This chant would have been nothing without the support of the group and the Norwegian supporters," he acknowledged.

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We need something with culture, showing where we're from. And then I wanted something Viking-ish, something hard. And just a light bulb came on. And I realised [ro] means rowing. And it has a cool movement. And I was just like, oh my gosh, this is the chant.

The supporter group has organized choreographed Viking rows in iconic U.S. locations like Times Square, and spontaneous renditions have appeared in various public spaces, demonstrating the chant's widespread appeal beyond the football stadium. Players have even led the row after victories, further cementing its status as a symbol of Norwegian fan culture.

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I had a spark. I had a very good idea and this chant is alive now because of this supporter group wanting to use it. This chant would have been nothing without the support of the group and the Norwegian supporters.