Norway is leaning into its centuries-old Viking history - with fans, players and politicians on board - to boost their team at the country's first World Cup in 28 years.

Erling Haaland and his team-mates posed as Vikings in an incredible pre-tournament photo shot by photographer David Yarrow. But the photoshoot sparked controversy with woke critics accusing them of backing 'chauvinism' and use of 'neo-Nazi' imagery due to the Vikings' large-scale raiding, colonising, pillaging and raping throughout their dominant era.

But that isn't putting off Norway. Their fans have been showing off the World Cup's most eye-catching cheer - The Viking Row - in support of their team. And it has been copied by supporters of other teams too... and Norwegian politicians.

World Cup fever has spread to Norway's parliament, where elected representatives performed ‌a recreation of the rowing on the other side of the Atlantic.

Before, during and after Norway's opening 4-1 win over Iraq in Boston, the country's ?red-clad fans, many of them wearing ?Viking helmets, were pictured rowing in unison in bars, on public transport and even on ?escalators around the stadium as they ?embraced the heritage of their seafaring Scandinavian forefathers.

Thursday's ‌parliamentary ?session was briefly interrupted when the speaker suggested that the members repeat the fans' rowing action to show the ?nation's support ?for the ?ongoing campaign, and the parliamentarians responded enthusiastically in a cross-party ?display of unity.

Scotland fans and others have been seen joining the Norwegians in their Viking 'rowing'. 

Norway's pre-tournament photoshoot came as a suggestion to the team - but got full endorsement from Haaland and the rest of the squad which includes Premier League stars Martin Odegaard, Jorgen Strand Larsen, Sander Berge and Oscar Bobb.

'It was an ask or a question from the (photographers),' Norway manager Stale Solbakken said in advance of his team's World Cup opener. 'The players wanted me to do it. They were positive. The federation was positive. And I was average positive. And then we did it.'