Erling Haaland brings the Vikings to Donnarumma’s wedding
Erling Haaland swapped his goal-scoring boots for a bongo drum as he took over the dance floor at Gianluigi Donnarumma’s wedding in Italy, leading guests in a rousing rendition of Norway’s viral ‘Viking Row’.
The Italian goalkeeper tied the knot with his partner Alessia Elefante in a lavish ceremony in Fasano, attended by a star-studded guest list that included Pep Guardiola, Paolo Maldini, Sandro Tonali and Nicolo Barella.
But it was Haaland who stole the show during the evening reception.
Climbing onto the stage, the 26-year-old Norwegian forward grabbed a drum and set up a steady beat, inviting the formally dressed guests, suits, tuxedos and all, to sit on the floor and lean back and forth to mimic rowing oars.
It was a familiar sight.
During the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Viking Row went from a Norwegian celebration to a global phenomenon, becoming almost inseparable from the country’s remarkable campaign in the United States.
VIKING ROW RULES THE WORLD
The celebration became the defining element of Norway’s World Cup journey during the group stage for the first time.
Every time Norway took the field, Viking Row seemed to follow them. Norwegian supporters filled the stadiums with rhythmic movement as the players repeatedly joined the pitch after their victories.
Thousands of fans have already occupied Times Square in New York before one of Norway’s matches, performing synchronized rowing to the beat of a drum. Soon it was no longer limited to only Norwegian supporters. The celebration has become one of the most recognized supporter traditions of the entire tournament. FIFA named it one of the two most distinctive fan traditions of the World Cup.
The players received it with equal enthusiasm.
After Norway secured their place in the knockout rounds, Haaland and his teammates gathered around a drum on the pitch and celebrated once again with their supporters. He became a recurring image of the team, quickly turning heads on and off the field.
And Norway had something to celebrate.
The Viking Row has become the soundtrack to the country’s best World Cup campaign to date. Norway marched into the quarter-finals for the first time in their history, with Haaland at the center of their remarkable run.
The striker scored twice in the closing stages as Norway stunned Brazil 2-1 in the round of 16, sending the five-time champions home and Norway reaching the last eight for the first time.
After the victory, Viking Row returned once more.
Haaland led his teammates in celebration as the Norwegian team reveled in a historic night. At home, fans performed the same routine in the streets of Oslo, turning the celebration into a national expression of pride.
By then, Viking Row was bigger than football.
Norwegian fans performed it in stadiums. The players showed it on the pitch. Supporters recreated it in city centers. It even extended beyond football when members of the Norwegian Armed Forces joined in after the team’s historic run.
And now, weeks after Norway’s World Cup adventure ended, Haaland has moved on to somewhere else entirely.
Wedding reception in Italy.
From Times Square and World Cup stadiums to a dance floor full of football’s biggest names, Viking Row has come a long way.
Haaland, it seems, isn’t ready to let it stop just yet.
– The end
Issued by:
Kingshuk Kusari
Published on:
Jul 26, 2026 08:56 IST