Honouring the national football team

His Royal Highness The Crown Prince, Her Royal Highness Princess Ingrid Alexandra and His Highness Prince Sverre Magnus were also present at the reception in the Small Banqueting Hall.

Captain Martin Ødegaard led the team as the players entered and greeted the Royal Family. The players were followed by head coach Ståle Solbakken and Football Association president Lise Klaveness, who led the coaching staff and support team. The sound of thousands of people singing "Alt for Norge" in the Palace Square could be heard through the open doors onto the Palace Balcony.

President of the Norwegian Football Association Lise Klaveness thanked The King for the invitation and for the Royal Family’s support throughout the tournament. King Harald then took the floor.

It is we who should be thanking you

“Dear everyone,” King Harald began. “It is a pleasure to see you here at the Royal Palace. We were thanked by the president of the Football Association, but it is really we who should be thanking you for what we have experienced. You will notice it when you go outside – that this has been an event that Norway appreciates. That we all appreciate.”

King Harald understood that the team might have been disappointed by the defeat against England in the quarter-final.

“But once you get a little distance from it, I am absolutely certain that you will say, ‘weeell, perhaps it wasn’t so bad after all…’”

After the reception, the Crown Prince, the Princess and the Prince accompanied the national team out onto the Palace Square.

Row!

The national team have performed their rowing celebration at the stadiums after their matches. This evening, the also took part in the rowing tradition in the Palace Square. Nearly 90,000 people had gathered to honour the players and their historic achievement. Celebrating people filled the square in front of the Royal Palace, the Palace Hill and Karl Johan street.

The national team, Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus joined the crowd and “took up the oars”. Crown Prince Haakon had the honour of setting the rhythm on the drum.

Football World Cup quarter-final

On Saturday, the national team played in the quarter-final of the men’s FIFA World Cup for the first time ever. In the dressing room after the 1–2 defeat to England, Crown Prince Haakon presented the team with an invitation to the Royal Palace from King Harald:

“When you return home now, The King would like to invite you to the Royal Palace,” said the Crown Prince.

“You are allowed to be disappointed, but the rest of us are just incredibly grateful, genuinely proud of you, and think that you have made an absolutely invaluable contribution,” he continued.

Norway’s historic World Cup campaign has come to an end – but the national team have won their way into everyone’s hearts. It was an unforgettable experience for an entire nation, creating memories for life – both from the football matches and from the celebrations in streets and squares across the country.