Ro — ro — ro — ro.
Norway just lost the semi-final of the 2026 World Cup. And yet — wherever you look on social media these days, you'll find videos of Norwegian fans rowing in the World Cup stadiums in America. And with them, people all over the world are joining in: rowing in nurseries, in old people houses, in airplanes, in offices, in the streets. They're all rowing for Norway.
Why has this — out of all the different ways fans have ever encouraged their teams — become so popular?
I believe this rowing symbolizes and rehabilitates values our civilization has been quietly losing. Values everyone still recognises the moment they see them again: team spirit, teamwork, dedication, determination, humbleness, discipline.
Wherever I look — in the workplaces I visit, in the classrooms I hear about, in the streets I walk — these values are quietly missing. And yet, when someone actually practises them again, the whole world responds instinctively.
Even Norwegians, I would say, don't especially operate with team spirit in their daily life. I've lived and worked with them in Oslo for quite some time. Their society is more reserved and people are relatively distant as characters until they know you well. But there must still be something in the blood since the Viking times — because when they play the game, the team spirit shows up.
The old game of the Vikings was to conquer land. Today we see that same spirit in football. And what they did in this World Cup with this row has rehabilitated the memory of team spirit for millions of people around the world — even for themselves.
The scoreboard shows one thing. The videos of grandmothers rowing in nursing homes and passengers rowing on airplanes show something bigger.
Norway lost the trophy tonight. But look at what they gave the world along the way: a reminder of what team spirit, teamwork, dedication and determination actually look like when a whole nation practices them in public.
This is what uplifts a civilization. Not big statements. Not slogans. A shared oar — in families, in classrooms, in neighbourhoods, in workplaces, in public squares. Anywhere people show up together with intention and dedication becomes a place where life is worth living.
So — well done to my Norwegian friends. They lost on the pitch, but they won something more lasting than a trophy.
And to every reader — let's row together.
Ro — ro — ro.
Creating Positive Change for civilization.
A real team is not people who do what you say. It is people who take responsibility because they see the goal as their own.
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Creating Positive Change for civilization.