Diplomacy took a footballing turn as UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre traded lighthearted barbs in front of their countries. FIFA World Cup quarter-final clash, with the two leaders posing in their national team jerseys during a meeting on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Turkey.The friendly exchange quickly caught the attention of football fans, which even showed Støre mimicking Norway’s now famous ‘Roar’ celebration, a gesture that has become synonymous with the Scandinavian side’s remarkable run to the last eight.England and Norway are set to face each other in the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup in Miami on July 11, with a semi-final spot at stake.
PMs rekindle historic rivalry with football jokes
Standing side by side in England and Norway shirts, the two leaders mixed politics with football history as they looked ahead to the blockbuster clash.Støre reminded Starmer of one of the most famous moments in Norwegian football history.“I could say, you know, 45 years ago, Norway played England in the qualifiers and we won. And the radio commentator said, ‘Maggie Thatcher, can you hear me?’ Your guys took a hell of a beating,” Støre said.WATCH: The Norwegian boss also urged England not to underestimate his country’s side, who emerged as one of the surprise packages of the tournament after knocking out five-time champions Brazil.Starmer, however, had an ingenious answer ready.“Yes, but what you’re leaving out is that England only won the World Cup under Labor governments – 1966. So the time is ours,” Starmer replied.Not to be outdone, Støre ended the exchange with a smile, saying: “Wait and see. It’s going to be a great match. Nice to see you.”
Norway sees another clash after the shock of Brazil
The light exchange reflected the growing excitement around a quarter-final that few predicted before the tournament.Norway stunned football powerhouse Brazil with a 2-1 win in the Round of 16 to book their place in the last eight, continuing one of the most impressive stories of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.England, meanwhile, survived a tough test against co-hosts Mexico, overcoming a thrilling 3-2 contest to reach the quarter-finals.While the political leaders exchanged jokes and smiles in Istanbul, the two teams will now turn their attention to Miami, where the banter will give way to high-level football.
