The 'Nordic Latinos' meet the 'Mountain Primates': the press coverage of football matches between Norway and Denmark, 2002 and 2003

摘要

The article examines the way aspects of Norwegian and Danish history, culture, society and development were articulated in the newspaper coverage of the football matches between Norway and Denmark in 2002 and 2003. The matches gave rise to a verbal war of rivalry between the two countries, drawing on colonial discourse, on popular stereotypes of the neighbouring country and of the playing style of their national team. The text chiefly draws inspiration from theories regarding stereotypes of national character in sports reporting. The debate in both countries sought to represent the home country as modern both in terms of culture and on the football field, and by consequence represented the other team and its country as conservative and as a relic of the past.