Brazil faces Norway and the taboo of a penalty that (almost) no one saw

Norway is the only team in history to have faced Brazil at least once without ever suffering defeat. The retrospect, however, is quite lean. There were only four meetings, the first of which took place in 1988. A scenario that attests to the Norwegians’ lack of familiarity with the big stages and leaves the game without a clear favorite.

The Norwegians have participated in just four World Cups, including the current edition of the tournament. Previously, they were present in 1938, 1994 and 1998. Their best performances were in 1938 and 1998, when they reached the round of 16.

Returning to history with the Brazilian team, three matches between Brazil x Norway were friendly. The other clash took place during the 1998 World Cup. And it ended in a Norwegian triumph, with an “invisible” penalty from Júnior Baiano that would only be revealed the day after the game.

Brazil, Norway and an “invisible” penalty from Júnior Baiano

The main meeting between Brazil and Norway took place in the 1998 World Cup, in the third round of Group A. It ended with a Norwegian triumph, 2-1. The goals all came in the final stretch of the match. Bebeto opened the scoring for the team in the 33rd minute of the second half.

The Europeans tied with Tore André Flo, at 38, and turned it around with Kjetil Rekdal, at 43, the latter taking a penalty conceded by Flo himself, after a play with defender Júnior Baiano. The maximum penalty, however, would enter the parallel history of the World Cups. This is because the images from the French broadcast were not clear. And, of course, there was no VAR.

Given the absence of explicit images of Júnior Baiano’s contact with Flo, Brazilians felt wronged. And there were widespread complaints. But everything was resolved the next day. To the relief of North American referee Esfandiar Baharmast, who was being charged for the alleged serious error.

One day after the game, exclusive images from a Swedish TV showed the beginning of the play, with a clear tug by Júnior Baiano on Flo’s shirt. Fair penalty for Norway. Later, Baharmast himself commented on the situation in an interview with FIFA.

“I clearly saw Júnior Baiano pulling Tore André Fló by the back of his shirt, it stretches and looks like a sail on a sailboat. I hold the whistle a little to see if there will be any advantage and as it didn’t happen, I had to give the penalty”, he said.

On that June 23, 1998, at the Vélodrome, in Marseille, Brazil entered the field with: Taffarel; Cafu, Gonçalves, Júnior Baiano and Roberto Carlos; Dunga, Leonardo, Denílson and Rivaldo; Bebeto and Ronaldo. Norway is already aligned with: Grodas; Berg, Eggen, Johnsen, and Bjornebye; Strand, Leonhardsen, Rekdal, Riseth and Jostein Flo; Tore André Flo.

Brazil 1 x 2 Norway: The 1998 game in images

Brazil x Norway: history of the clash

• 07/27/1988 – Norway 1 x 1 Brazil – Friendly

• 05/29/1997 – Norway 4 x 2 Brazil – Friendly

• 06/23/1998 – Brazil 1 x 2 Norway – World Cup
• 08/16/2006 – Norway 1 x 1 Brazil – Friendly