'Your boys took a hell of a beating' - England and Norway's football rivalry

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Erling Haaland has scored seven goals in four games at the World Cup

ByPhil McNultyChief football writer in Atlanta

Published17 minutes ago

England and Norway renew a rivalry better known for one famous piece of commentary rather than football when they meet in the World Cup quarter-finals in Miami on Saturday.

It was 45 years before Jude Bellingham and Erling Haaland were illuminating the current tournament that a Norwegian by the name of Bjorge Lillelien delivered the speech that has assumed legendary status.

Norway, nowhere near the dangerous force they are now in September 1981, had just beaten an England side boasting players of the class of Bryan Robson, Glenn Hoddle, Kevin Keegan and Trevor Francis 2-1 in a World Cup qualifier.

The win was a seismic shock, regarded as a national embarrassment for England and Norway's greatest triumph at Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo.

Lillelien was not going to let the opportunity to pile on the agony for England pass him by as he directed a message aimed at the country's political and sporting figures - especially then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

A reserved man in private, he warmed up by accusing Polish referee Jerzy Kacprzak of being "close to receiving English citizenship" by playing what he felt was too much added time as Norway protected their lead.

When Kacprzak finally blew the whistle, Lillelien was ready to let rip on the airwaves as the main radio commentator for the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation, known as NRK.

A slightly edited version of his wonderfully excitable commentary is: "Lord Nelson. Lord Beaverbrook. Sir Winston Churchill. Sir Anthony Eden. Clement Atlee. Henry Cooper. Lady Diana. We have beaten all of them."

And then came Lillelien's most famous words.

"Maggie Thatcher. Can you hear me? We have a message for you. We have knocked your boys out of the World Cup. Maggie Thatcher. As they say in your language, in the boxing bars around Madison Square Garden New York, your boys took a hell of a beating."

He then repeated for good measure: "Your boys took a hell of a beating."

The last line, in particular, has been repeated – and altered to suit the occasion – ever since Lillelien delivered it.

England did, contrary to Lillellen's claim, qualify for the 1982 World Cup in Spain, but no matter.

Social media did not exist in 1981. The impact and traction of his commentary, had it happened now, would be mind-boggling.

Lillelien, who was a hugely popular figure, died six years later aged 60, but has been immortalised by those words, which he always insisted were spontaneous, not prepared.

The emotional speech has been preserved forever by the wonders of YouTube, helped by Lillelien, fluent in English, switching from his native tongue when he said: "Maggie Thatcher. Can you hear me?" and "your boys took one hell of a beating."

England's defeat was one of the biggest shocks in their history, having won the first qualifier 4-0 at Wembley a year previously.

In Norway's moment of triumph, Lillelien's colourful commentary meant those who represented England in that defeat will never be allowed to forget it.

Every time England meet Norway, Lillelien will be remembered with affection by everyone except those who still have to suffer those painful recollections.

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England manager Ron Greenwood pictured during the defeat by Norway in 1981

His son Marius, who later became a senior broadcasting executive, told an NRK documentary: "The person we meet in the big radio moments is a man who has built himself up.

"Like an artist, he prepared himself for a concert. He was a very different man off air."

Former Norway striker Egil Ostenstad, who played in the Premier League for Southampton and Blackburn Rovers, told the Times: "It was Bjorge. This was something that summarised his personality and the way he was as a commentator. I would say he's a very untypical Norwegian.

"Norwegians in general try to be quite comfortable and not show too much emotion. Maybe that's why he was so popular. He knew how to show emotions and this commentary proves it very well.

"He is proving that he is a well-read person to put all those things together, which, without being prepared for it, it's a big achievement."

Since the start of the Premier League, England has been a popular destination for Norway's best footballers, with almost 100 Norwegians having played in the league.

From Jan Age Fjortoft, Morten Gamst Pedersen and John Carew to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Martin Odegaard and Haaland, the countries have been closely linked in footballing terms for the past 30 years.

England have won one, drawn one and lost two of four competitive meetings with Norway, and this World Cup has already provided plenty of opportunities for colourful commentary with a succession of superb games.

The men's sides have never met in a major tournament and Saturday will be the first time they have met for 12 years.

The rivalry was renewed in 2015 when England met Norway in the last 16 of the Women's World Cup in Canada.

Norwegian newspaper VG Sporten asked if Mark Sampson's team were "ready for a hell of a beating" in Ottawa. England won 2-1.

Whether anyone can conjure words to match, or be as long-lasting and memorable, as Bjorge Lillelien's remain to be seen, but there is every chance they will get a mention amid the action in Miami.

The friendly rivalry will certainly be put to one side for 90 minutes.