British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his Norwegian counterpart Jonas Gall Storr exchanged lighthearted barbs ahead of a meeting between the two countries in a football-like turn in diplomacy. fifa world cup The two leaders, who faced off in the quarter-finals, posed in their national team jerseys during a meeting on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Türkiye.The friendly exchange quickly caught the attention of fans, with Storey imitating Norway’s now-famous ‘roar’ celebration, a gesture that has become synonymous with the Scandinavian side’s impressive run to the quarter-finals.England and Norway will face off in the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals in Miami on July 11, with a semi-final spot at stake.
Prime Ministers revive historic rivalry with football banter
Standing side by side in England and Norway jerseys, the two leaders melded politics and football history as they looked ahead to the blockbuster showdown.Storey reminded Starmer of one of the most famous moments in Norwegian football history.“I would say, you know, 45 years ago, Norway played England in the qualifiers and we won. The radio commentator said, ‘Maggie Thatcher, can you hear me? Your children have suffered terribly,'” Stoll said.watch: The Norwegian leader also urged England not to underestimate Norway, who have emerged as one of the surprises of this World Cup after knocking out five-time champions Brazil.However, Starmer had a witty response ready.“Yes, but what you’re ignoring is that England only won the World Cup under a Labor government – in 1966. So time is ours,” Starmer replied.Not to be outdone, Storey signed the agreement with a smile and said: “We’ll see. It’s going to be a great game. Nice to meet you.”
After Brazil shock, Norway will be in trouble again
The light-hearted exchange reflected the growing excitement heading into the quarterfinals, something few predicted before the game.Norway continued one of the most impressive underdog stories of the 2026 FIFA World Cup as they defeated football powerhouse Brazil 2-1 in the round of 16 to advance to the quarter-finals.Meanwhile, England withstood a tough test against host Mexico, narrowly advancing to the quarter-finals with a 3-2 win.While political leaders joked with each other in Istanbul, both teams are now turning their attention to Miami, where banter will give way to high-stakes football.
