One of the most visually striking images of the Vikings is a flotilla of longships raiding and pillaging distant lands. It has a certain cinematic quality, stirring images of Kirk Douglas and Tony Curtis in the famous film. Swords and epic battles happened in the big playgrounds of the Middle Ages. That enraptures audiences.
While historians can argue about how bloodthirsty the Norse population was, their natives had a big attachment to sport as an outlet for discipline and aggression; they were a culture that could use those assets of skill and courage for games rather than just warfare. There were tug-of-war-style pursuits, a contact game that was a mix of hockey and rugby, and a whole other duel to see the last man or the woman standing.
Viking Symbols in the NFL
They came and they conquered. The hardest thing is to win in someone else’s territory, but the Vikings made a habit of going outside their comfort zone. It is easy to see why Viking imagery on team logos is used as a symbol to represent many sports teams, especially at all levels of American football.
Is it any wonder that teams like the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings have incorporated Norse graphics as a badge of honor. There was already a prominent American Scandinavian culture in the state, so using that link to a distant but present history made sense.
The sports cartoonist Karl Hubenthal originally intended a diagonal design to capture the leggings worn by the original Norsemen for Minnesota’s uniform. Ultimately, they wanted a “bold statement”, and that has been largely captured by the sight of the horned helmets on the badge.
For almost two decades, Minnesota has used the Gjallarhorn to get the crowd going before a match and reflect the ancient traditions of the Vikings. In Norse mythology, the God Heimdallr would sit near a bridge and serve as a watchman for other Gods. If enemies approached, the horn would sound. The horn is blown by several ex-Vikings players, spectators, soldiers, or celebrities before the teams run onto the pitch.
Viking Symbols Down Under
The Canberra Raiders, the Australian rugby league team, is also heavily invested in the Viking culture, making it front and center before the match. Like Minnesota, the giant horn is blown, leading to a thunderclap, which was adopted by fans dressed in Viking attire during Iceland’s run in the 2016 European Soccer Championships.
The clap is not a Viking Tradition but has created a mythical power in its sound and synchronicity. Both Canberra and Minnesota also have Viktor the Viking as the official team mascot, with the former having a real-life human who has been doing the job for over 40 years.
Some teams are even closer to the heritage of the Norse legacy, such as Viking Fotballklubb, in Stavanger. They have won multiple league titles, but are sitting in a region that saw one of the most historic duels in history, the Battle of Hafrsfjord, which unified the kingdom of Norway. When the club was formed in 1899, it was named with that heritage in mind.
Viking Influence in Soccer
One of the most unlikely associations in the English Football League comes from Northern England. Tranmere Rovers might be surrounded by two more famous names, Liverpool FC and Everton FC, but they are the only team in the EFL with a Viking name. Tranmere was founded by Viking Settlers about one thousand years ago, and the club’s name literally means ‘sandbank with the herons’ in Norse.
This has brought about a significant fan club in Norway, where Scandinavians have picked up on the direct links and come to Prenton Park to watch the games. There is even a Swedish community that originated in Malmo in 1977. They call themselves “The Swedish Vikings.”
There is no doubt that the rich history of the Vikings lends itself to the battleground of sports as well. There is a natural affiliation with the roar of the hordes and the helmets that look like a precursor to the NFL armory. The team songs can create bonding before charging into the first quarter, and the horns communicate expectation with huge crowds, adding great additional drama. It all adds to the adrenaline that is important to create ahead of a tough fixture with a rival ‘tribe.’
Ultimately, a great deal of what happens on the sporting field is aggressive unity. Vikings are the epitome of bravery and acting with only victory in mind. Apart from getting a result, that is all spectators want to see at the big game.
