World Cup: Rooney makes good on Haaland’s promise, rowing across the Hudson like a Viking

Wayne Rooney proved that a promise made on live television is still a promise worth keeping. The former England captain swapped the BBC studio for a rowing boat just before the FIFA World Cup final and took to the Hudson River in New York alongside former England internationals Joe Hart and Micah Richards to fulfill a bet made during the FIFA World Cup.

Rooney has vowed to row if Erling Haaland’s Norway reach the quarter-finals, scuppering their chances ahead of the last eight.

“If Norway get to the quarter-finals, I’ll go to the Mersey and row in it,” Rooney joked during the BBC’s World Cup coverage after Norway’s victory over Ivory Coast.

The bet quickly paid off. Inspired by the sensational Erling Haaland, Norway stunned five-time champions Brazil 2-1 in the round of 16 to reach the quarter-finals for the first time since 1998. Haaland scored twice in a famous victory before playfully reminding Rooney that he still had a promise to keep. Photo: Reuters

“I’m looking forward to seeing Wayne, Wayney boy,” Haaland said in a video on his YouTube channel.

“Wayne Rooney said he’s going to row if we go to the quarter-finals. So Wayne Rooney, I expect you to go rowing.”

ROONEY ACCEPTS HAALAND’S CHALLENGE

Rooney accepted the challenge almost immediately, joking that he would not make such promises again.

“Yeah, I won’t do it again,” laughed Rooney, before dragging Micah Richards and Joe Hart into the challenge.

“So me, Meeks and Harty, we’re all involved. We’re just trying to get it together on the Hudson River.”

With the BBC’s World Cup coverage in the United States, the River Mersey was replaced by New York’s Hudson, where Rooney, Hart and Richards eventually rowed to win the bet.

The challenge also paid homage to Norway’s now famous “Viking Row” celebration, which has become one of the defining images of the country’s remarkable World Cup campaign.

Norway’s dream run eventually ended in the quarter-finals, but not before Haaland ensured Rooney kept his word.

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Issued by:

Kingshuk Kusari

Published on:

18 Jul 2026 23:43 IST