The hilarious reason Wayne Rooney ended up 'Viking Row' on New York's Hudson river

Wayne Rooney proved that a promise made on live television is one worth keeping after swapping the BBC studio for a rowing boat ahead of the FIFA World Cup final. The former England captain took to New York's Hudson River alongside fellow ex-England internationals Joe Hart and Micah Richards, honouring a wager he made during the BBC's World Cup coverage. Rooney had confidently dismissed Norway's chances of making the FIFA World Cup quarterfinals, promising to row if they proved him wrong.

"If Norway get to the quarterfinals, I will go in the River Mersey and I'll row down it," Rooney had joked during BBC's World Cup coverage after Norway's victory over Ivory Coast. However, the prediction quickly backfired. Inspired by a sensational Erling Haaland, Norway stunned five-time world champions Brazil with a memorable 2-1 victory in the Round of 16, securing a place in the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time since 1998.

Watch the video of Rooney doing the viking row at Hudson river

Spain vs Argentina Photograph: (WION)

Haaland scored both goals in the famous win before reminding Rooney about his promise in a playful message shared on his YouTube channel. "I'm looking forward to seeing Wayne, Wayney boy," Haaland said in a video on his YouTube channel. "Wayne Rooney said he was going to row if we went to the quarter-finals. So Wayne Rooney, I expect you to go out on a rowing trip."

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Rooney accepts Haaland's challenge

Rooney wasted little time accepting the challenge, admitting he had learned his lesson about making bold promises on live television. "Yeah, I won't be doing that again," Rooney laughed before dragging Micah Richards and Joe Hart into the challenge. “So me, Meeks and Harty, we're all taking part. We're just trying to get it put together on the Hudson River.” With the BBC's World Cup coverage taking place in the United States, Rooney swapped the River Mersey for New York's iconic Hudson River.

Joined by Hart and Richards, the trio climbed into a rowing boat and completed the challenge, keeping Rooney's promise in front of football fans around the world. The rowing challenge also paid tribute to Norway's popular ‘Viking Row’ celebration, which became one of the defining moments of the country's memorable World Cup campaign. Although Norway's remarkable run ended in the quarterfinals, Haaland ensured Rooney lived up to his word, creating one of the tournament's most entertaining off-field moments.