OSLO, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Tens of thousands of fans in Norway gathered in front of the Norwegian Royal Palace on Monday and enthusiastically welcomed the national team players who achieved a historic feat by advancing to the World Cup quarter-finals.
Approximately 90,000 fans filled the palace square and held a welcoming ceremony for the national team, which achieved its best score in the history of the FIFA World Cup. Norway lost 2-1 to England in extra time in Miami on Saturday.
When the team took the stage, players and fans celebrated together in the now iconic "Viking Paddle" celebration, which has become Norway's unforgettable tournament symbol.
According to the news of state television NRK, Erling Haaland, the team's top scorer, could not attend the celebration because he had another flight to catch.