While Ronaldo didn’t suit up, the fact is Portugal didn’t miss him. Joao Felix and Goncalo Ramos stepped up to beat the Vikings. As for why Ronaldo didn’t start today, Jorge Jesus explained it right before the game.

For Norway, Erling Haaland actually scored. However, this is a heavy home defeat, as they are now second in Group D of the Nations League. The home loss will likely take its toll in the future of the standings.

Both teams won their first Nations League matchups. Portugal was barely able to beat Wales 1-0 at home, despite Ronaldo having plenty of chances to score. In the end, it was none other than Joao Felix the one scoring.

As for Norway, the Vikings beat Denmark 3-2 in a highly-contested matchup. Needless to say, it was Haaland saving the day as the Man City striker scored a brace that ended being the reason why Norway won the game.

Norway lineup vs Portugal

Coach Stale Solbakken is using his trademark 4-3-3 formation. That’s what has gotten him all the way to here, and is fresh off a historic World Cup campaign. Hence, don’t fix it if it isn’t broken.

The lineup is as follows: Orjan Nyland; Julian Ryerson, Kristoffer Ajer, Torbjorn Heggem, Fredrik Aursnes; Patrick Berg, Sander Berge, Martin Odegaard; Andreas Schjelderup, Antonio Nusa, Erling Haaland.

Portugal lineup vs Norway

Jorge Jesus is starting this new era of Portugal soccer and he is still trying to see what fits and what not. However, there are certain mainstays that will still feature heavily in the lineup. The biggest news today is that Ronaldo isn’t starting as the coach is managing his workload.

Portugal are also going 4-3-3: Diogo Costa; Joao Cancelo, Renato Veiga, Ruben Dias, Nuno Mendes; Francisco Conceicao, Joao Palinha, Pedro Neto; Joao Felix, Goncalo Ramos, Joao Neves.

Key takeaways

• Portugal edged Wales 1-0 in their opening UEFA Nations League fixture via a goal from Joao Felix.
• Erling Haaland scored a brace to secure a 3-2 victory for Norway against Denmark.
• Cristiano Ronaldo is starting on the bench for Portugal.

Because Bellingham had one more assist than Haaland, the tiebreaker for the Bronze Boot went to England’s midfielder. However, one could argue Haaland’s tournament was more impressive.

Haaland played five games while Bellingham played eight, and Bellingham just had one more goal involvement. Norway had a historic run to the quarterfinals, but Haaland didn’t play the third Group Stage match due to rest.

Bellingham is still well-deserving of this recognition

Bellingham had a massive tournament. He was England’s most impactful player by a landslide. Without him, England could’ve really gone home in the Round of 16 against Mexico if not for Bellingham’s brace.

Bellingham was not only a goalscorer, he was the engine behind England’s success. Thomas Tuchel might have had good and bad decisions, but Bellingham made sure to make the most out of every minute he was on the field.

Bellingham and Haaland should give us a lot more World Cup battles

Bellingham and Haaland are primed for two or more World Cup appearances, at least, given their age. Hence, we should see them battling it out in soccer’s biggest stage for more editions to come.

Bellingham will likely have the upper hand in terms of roster, as England is a much more productive national team than Norway, at least historically. Hence, the British should be having the slight advantage over Haaland in terms of possibilities to shine.

“Will he even remember the game? He always seems to be drinking alcohol at matches. If you’ve had a drink, you see the game differently. The push was a push. You can argue about some decisions, but you can’t say the referee cost Norway the game,” Keane said on the Stick to Football podcast, taking a direct, personal swipe at the elder Haaland‘s post-match grievances.

Alfie Haaland had publicly lambasted the refereeing crew following a chaotic match defined by high-stakes flashpoints, including a bizarre sequence where the ball reportedly deflected off an aerial Spidercam cable, a viral conspiracy theory that ultimately forced FIFA to issue a formal public clarification.

Even England manager Thomas Tuchel conceded his squad caught a massive break, openly labeling the Three Lions’ performance as “lucky” and expressing immense dissatisfaction with their overall form. However, when asked about his manager’s critical assessment, England star Jude Bellingham offered a visibly indifferent, “whatever” response, fueling immediate speculation of locker room friction despite advancing.

The history between Keane and Haaland

The bitter rivalry began in September 1997 when Keane ruptured his ACL while attempting to trip Alf-Inge Haaland during a Manchester United match against Leeds. Believing the Irishman was merely diving to win a penalty, Haaland stood directly over the grounded, agonized midfielder and aggressively mocked him for feigning the injury, an act of perceived disrespect that Keane harbored for nearly four years.

The feud reached its boiling point in April 2001 during a highly charged Manchester derby, where Keane executed a pre-meditated, knee-high horror challenge that slammed his studs straight into Haaland’s leg.

Keane was immediately sent off, but before leaving the pitch, he stood over the injured Norwegian to hurl explicit insults, later admitting in his autobiography that the brutal tackle was deliberate, cold-blooded revenge for the humiliation he suffered back in 1997.

Norway fans scapegoat Alexander Sorloth following brutal elimination

Beyond the refereeing drama, heartbroken Norwegian supporters have directed a massive wave of fury toward veteran forward Alexander Sorloth. The striker has faced an avalanche of online backlash following a botched counterattack that squandered a potential game-ending second goal for Norway.

Sorloth was heavily criticized across social media for calling his own number rather than sliding a pass to a completely unmarked Erling Haaland for an easy tap-in. All eyes are now on the forward to see how he addresses the intense public scrutiny and the costly mental error that helped end his nation’s World Cup run.

“Real Madrid and England are lucky to have Jude Bellingham, and everyone wants Jude Bellingham on their team. He’s one of the best players in the world,” Haaland told reporters in the mixed zone after the final whistle.

The high praise underscores the immense respect Haaland holds for his former club teammate. Such glowing endorsements, coupled with Bellingham‘s lethal form in North America—including a historic milestone that saw him surpass French icon Zinedine Zidane’s World Cup goal tally—have solidified the midfielder’s status as a generational superstar.

While Haaland was held off the scoresheet today, his tournament run remains spectacular, concluding his 2026 World Cup campaign with seven goals. That clinical output places him in elite company, trailing only tournament top-scorers Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi.

Bellingham brushes off coaching criticism after MVP performance

After taking home Man of the Match honors, Bellingham faced the media and was immediately asked about England manager Thomas Tuchel’s critical post-match remarks regarding the Three Lions’ sluggish overall performance against Norway.

Bellingham offered a visibly indifferent, “whatever” response to the critique, a reaction that is bound to fuel speculation about potential friction between Tuchel and his locker room, despite England ultimately securing the victory in extra time.

The drama caps off a chaotic, high-stakes match where FIFA was forced to issue a statement addressing the validity of England’s first goal. Unbothered by the noise, Bellingham followed up his controversial first-half equalizer by delivering the game-winner to complete his brace early in extra time.

Explaining the move, Solbakken said it was based on the striker’s physical condition rather than a tactical adjustment. “It was not a tough decision because he was finished and maybe I should’ve taken him out 10 minutes before. He obviously had a tremendous World Cup,” Solbakken said, via journalist Franco Panizo on X.

In a heated contest as Miami’s temperatures climbed, the substitution marked Haaland’s final appearance of the tournament as Norway’s impressive World Cup run ended in the quarterfinals despite another competitive performance against one of the favorites. Haaland’s first World Cup finish was similar to that of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in 2006.

Solbakken cites fatigue and a “dead leg”

Solbakken also revealed that Haaland had been dealing with fatigue as well as a “dead leg,” making it difficult for the Manchester City striker to continue through extra time. This clears the air on what happened to Haaland and why he was subbed off.

Although Norway was eliminated, the head coach praised Haaland’s overall contribution during the tournament, highlighting the forward’s performances as a key reason the team reached the quarterfinals for the first time in years.

England survives to reach the semifinals

Norway opened the scoring through Andreas Schjelderup before Jude Bellingham equalized in first-half stoppage time to send the match level into the break. The contest featured multiple controversial VAR decisions, including a penalty initially awarded to England before being overturned and a Norway goal ruled out for a foul in the buildup.

Bellingham, who eclipsed Zinedine Zidane’s World Cup goal count, completed his brace in extra time, scoring the winner that sent England into the semifinals, where the Three Lions will face Argentina.

“Well done Bellingham and referee,” Alfie Haaland replied to a post from Fabrizio Romano on Bellingham’s stats at the 2026 World Cup. With his brace against Norway, Bellingham has eclipsed Zinedine Zidane in World Cup goals. However, Alfie’s sarcastic remark was clearly digging at Turpin’s officiating rather than actually congratulating Bellingham. Alfie Haaland knows Bellingham from his son’s time alongside Jude at Borussia Dortmund.

Although the action-packed quarterfinals showdown in Miami had no shortage of controversies, some of which affected Norway heavily, there were also a couple of calls that went the Vikings’ way. All in all, it was a tough to game to officiate, as two elite sides left it all on the line.

Controversies in England’s 2-1 win over Norway

The first major controversial decision came with Norway’s goal. Andreas Schjelderup beat Jordan Pickford with a shot that appeared to be a cross but found the back of the net. The Three Lions appealed for a foul on Harry Kane, but to no avail. The goal stood.

England found the equalizer through Bellingham, but a slow-motion replay appeared to show the ball ricocheting off a camera cable stretching across the stadium. FIFA responded to the concerns surrounding England’s goal by stating that the sensor inside the ball detected no contact. Thus, the goal stood, though FIFA’s explanation did little to convince Norway, and Alfie Haaland was no different.

In the second half, Norway had a goal disallowed after a VAR review determined that Haaland had pushed Elliot Anderson before the corner kick was taken. That decision left little room for debate, but when combined with England’s disputed first goal, it’s clear why Norway felt they got the short end of the stick.

More controversial calls in England vs Norway

However, VAR also worked in Norway’s favor when Djed Spence went down inside the box in extra time. Turpin initially awarded England a penalty, but after reviewing the play, it became clear that Spence had initiated the contact. As a result, England’s penalty was correctly overturned.

All in all, there were several eyebrow-raising decisions that affected both sides. Aside from the controversial camera cable incident before England’s equalizer, Turpin generally got the key calls right. The one that still leaves room for debate, however, is the decision that changed the course of the game for Haaland and Norway.

Coach is under the scope, too

Officiating isn’t the only thing under the microscope for the Norwegians. Head coach Stale Solbakken is also facing scrutiny over his overtime decision, as fans can’t comprehend why Erling Haaland was subbed off against England.

Norway have been eliminated, and their best player wasn’t allowed to play the final 15 minutes to help them. Another member of the squad feeling the heat is Alexander Sorloth, who faced a wave of criticism after failing to pass the ball to Haaland in one big play during the quarterfinal.

Instead of slipping a pass over to an unmarked Haaland, who was later subbed off, for a clean, 1-on-1 breakaway against England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, Sorloth opted to call his own number. The hesitation allowed the English backline just enough recovery time to track back, swallow up the space, and decisively block the Norwegian striker’s heavily contested shot. Norway later scored the 2-1, but the goal was disallowed after a VAR review.

Furious fans immediately flooded Sorloth’s Instagram account with heavy criticism. Irate comments left on his recent posts included callouts such as, “You should’ve passed the ball. Now the game is 1-1 because of your ego,” “Jealous little Sorloth. Pass the ball,” and “Don’t pass to anyone bro, take the ball home and eat it.”

The squandered opportunity didn’t just open the door for England’s dramatic equalizer—which later drew a clarification from FIFA over a controversial, alleged Spidercam cable deflection—it also cost Norway a priceless chance to regain the lead in a defining moment.

Sorloth struggled to make an impact on the world stage

Tasked with playing a vastly different role than he typically features in at the club level, Sorloth was never able to find his rhythm or weaponize his physical traits for the national team, heading home from North America completely empty-handed. Even so, teammate Martin Odegaard defended Sorloth.

Here is a complete look at his 2026 World Cup campaign by the numbers:

• Matches Played: 5
• Matches Started: 5
• Minutes Played: 341
• Goals: 0
• Assists: 0
• Total Shots: 3
• Shots on Target: 1
• Passing Accuracy: 81.3% (99/122)
• Yellow Cards: 0
• Red Cards: 0

With Erling Haaland and Norway officially sent packing in the quarterfinals, a broader question emerges regarding how young phenoms adjust to the global stage: How do Haaland compare to the debut World Cup performances of icons like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo?

From a team perspective, however, Haaland fell just short—especially compared to Ronaldo, who guided Portugal to the semifinals in his first World Cup in 2006. Moreover, after Lamine Yamal reached the semifinals with Spain in his first World Cup, it was clear Haaland wouldn’t want to miss out on the fun. Still, he couldn’t change the final outcome, as England knocked Norway out of the tournament.

Norway’s disallowed goal against England will sting for a long time, as it denied the Norwegians the chance to celebrate with Norway’s iconic Viking Row one last time at the 2026 World Cup. With that, Haaland’s first ever World Cup has come to an end. Now, it’s time to compare it with Messi and Ronaldo’s first experiences in soccer’s biggest tournament.

Ronaldo’s finish at his first World Cup

In the 2006 World Cup, Portugal fell 1-0 to France in the semis before losing 3-1 to hosts Germany in the third-place game. Haaland, whose jersey reads “Braut Haaland” at the 2026 World Cup, couldn’t do any better than the forward he grew up watching.

One more win would have not only set a new record for the furthest Norway had ever gone at a World Cup, but also give Haaland a chance to surpass the mark set by Portugal during Cristiano Ronaldo’s first ever World Cup.

The elimination may not be the worst thing in the world, though. Ronaldo’s best World Cup was his first, and he only experienced World Cup heartbreaks ever since. Messi, on the other hand, needed longer to find his footing at soccer’s biggest competition, but in the end, it was all worth it. Perhaps, this loss is a blessing in disguise for Haaland and Norway.

Messi’s finish in first World Cup

Messi, like Ronaldo, played in his first of six World Cups in 2006. Both stars waved goodbye to the tournament after losses to Germany, although at very different stages. While Ronaldo and Portugal fell to Die Mannschaft in the third-place playoff, Messi’s Argentina were eliminated by the hosts in a penalty shootout in the quarterfinals.

In that match, a 19-year-old Messi was left on the substitutes’ bench by Argentina head coach Jose Nestor Pekerman, a decision that remains controversial and deeply lamented to this day in the Land of Silver. Just like Messi, Haaland watched the end of his first World Cup elimination from the bench, but because Haaland was subbed off by Norway against England in extra time.

Argentina have won three World Cups, but the 2006 elimination remains one of the country’s most painful World Cup memories. It was also only the first of Messi’s three consecutive World Cup eliminations at the hands of Germany: the quarterfinals in 2006 and 2010, and the final in 2014. Haaland will hope to have a differen fate going forward in head-to-head games between Norway and England.

Haaland’s fate

Coming into the quarterfinals matchup of the 2026 World Cup, Haaland was handed two choices. He either fell at the quarterfinals like Messi did in his first World Cup or he reached the semifinals, like Cristiano did in 2006.

Although Haaland has always looked to mimic Ronaldo more than he did Messi, he couldn’t replicate his childhood idol’s path, and instead has faced the same fate Messi did. It stings now, but it might be for the best in the long run.

With the score tied 1-1 after regulation time, England and Norway were forced to play 30 additional minutes in Miami. The Three Lions found the decisive net in the first period of extra time, with Jude Bellingham netting his second goal of the match—and his seventh of the tournament with which he eclipsed Zinedine Zidane in World Cup goals—to complete a dramatic comeback victory.

Before the start of the second period of extra time, manager Stale Solbakken surprised many by subbing Erling Haaland off. The Manchester City striker looked completely spent on the bench after an extraordinarily demanding and physical battle against England’s defense.

The dream is over for Norway

During the initial 90 minutes, Norway had taken a 1-0 lead against England through Andreas Schjelderup, but a potential second goal was disallowed after the referee cited a foul by Erling Haaland in the buildup.

Despite multiple efforts to test Jordan Pickford, the Vikings were unable to restore their lead and left vulnerable spaces behind that ultimately paved the way for England’s match-winner. The Three Lions even had a chance to pull ahead prior to Bellingham’s second strike, but the referee overturned a penalty call following a VAR review.

Erlin Haaland and Norway are officially out of the 2026 World Cup. However, the Scandinavians enjoyed a historic run—powered largely by Haaland’s outstanding performances—leaving their dream of an even greater tournament in 2030 firmly alive.

Orjan Nyland at the center of England’s goals

Prior to England’s first-half equalizer, Norway goalkeeper Orjan Nyland launched a goal kick from his box that appeared to clip an aerial camera cable suspended over Miami Stadium. While the play culminated in Jude Bellingham’s equalizing strike, FIFA subsequently released a statement denying that sensor data registered any contact with the cable.

On the Three Lions’ second goal, Orjan Nyland was unable to secure a long-range shot from Morgan Rogers, fumbling the ball into the path of Jude Bellingham, who easily tapped it into the open net. Although the Norwegian shot-stopper turned in a solid overall performance, these two crucial moments proved decisive in the final outcome.

One important detail is that some of their biggest stars are also undisputed leaders at some of the top clubs in European soccer. In its fourth World Cup appearance, the nation is experiencing one of the strongest periods in its history.

Of the 26 players in Norway’s squad, only four play in the domestic league. The Premier League is home to the largest group of Norwegian players, with six, followed by Italy, which has five spread across Serie A and Serie B.

Names such as Erling Haaland, who is among a group of players born outside Norway, and Martin Ødegaard are at the top of the list. However, coach Stale Solbakken has both depth and quality across every position on the squad.

Norway’s goalkeeping options

Like the vast majority of teams competing in the World Cup, Norway revealed their three goalkeepers at the beginning of the tournament through the official FIFA website.

• Orjan Haskjold Nyland (Sevilla, Spain)
• Egil Selvik (Watford, England)
• Sander Tangvik (Hamburg, Germany)

The Vikings’ rock-solid defense

Kristoffer Vassbakk Ajer, who plays for Brentford in the Premier League, is perhaps the most experienced voice in a defense that has consistently shown solidity, discipline, and aerial dominance at both ends of the pitch.

• Kristoffer Vassbakk Ajer (Brentford, England)
• Fredrik Bjorkan (Bodo Glimt, Norway)
• Henrik Falchener (Viking, Norway)
• Sondre Langas (Derby County, England)
• Torbjorn Heggem (Bologna, Italy)
• Marcus Holmgren Pedersen (Torino, Italy)
• Julian Ryerson (Borussia Dortmund, Germany)
• David Moller Wolfe (Wolverhampton, England)
• Leo Ostigard (Genoa, Italy)

Midfield full of talent

Martin Ødegaard enjoyed an outstanding season with Arsenal, and he has carried that high level of form into the World Cup, where he continues to be one of Norway’s key players.

• Thelonious Aasgaard (Rangers, Scotland)
• Fredrik Aursnes (Benfica, Portugal)
• Patrick Berg (Bodo Glimt, Norway)
• Sander Berge (Fulham, England)
• Oscar Bobb (Fulham, England)
• Jens Petter Hauge (Bodo Glimt, Norway)
• Antonio Nusa (Leipzig, Austria)
• Andreas Schjelderup (Benfica, Portugal)
• Morten Thorsby (Cremonese, Italy)
• Kristian Thorstvedt (Sassuolo, Italy)
• Martin Ødegaard (Arsenal, England)

Firepower up front

Norway’s physical presence in attack is matched by elite-level talent. Unsurprisingly, Erling Haaland is the standout figure in this department, having established himself as one of Manchester City’s biggest stars over the years.

• Erling Haaland (Manchester City, England)
• Jorgen Strand Larsen (Crystal Palace, England)
• Alexander Sorloth (Atletico Madrid, Spain)