“I won’t allow anyone to blame Alex,” Odegaard told reporters postgame. “People only remember the final chance, but I remember everything he did for this team throughout the tournament. One decision doesn’t define a player.”

Odegaard emphasized Sorloth’s vital contributions to Norway‘s historic tournament run up to this point, stressing the internal unity of the locker room. “I’ve seen Erling comfort Alex, and I’ve seen Alex apologize to the boys. That’s football, it hurts, but that’s also why we’re a family,” the midfielder added.

The Sorloth fan backlash wasn’t the only drama enveloping the Norwegian camp postgame. Media coverage was further dominated by a brewing off field feud after Manchester United legend Roy Keane publicly ripped Alfie Haaland for complaining about the officiating, compounding a miserable and chaotic exit for the Scandinavian side.

Odegaard outlines Norway’s path forward

Shifting focus away from the immediate heartbreak, the Arsenal playmaker mapped out the next chapter for a rising Norwegian program, targeting a strong showing in the upcoming UEFA Nations League and the ultimate goal of qualifying for Euro 2028.

“The badge on the front of the shirt means more than one missed pass. Every player gave everything for Norway tonight. This defeat belongs to all of us, not one individual. We’ll heal together, learn together and come back stronger,” Odegaard said.

While a devastated Norway squad head home, the tournament march continues without them. England now moves on to a blockbuster semifinal showdown against Argentina, a heavyweight clash already generating massive headlines after Lionel Messi noted it will mark his first career international match against the Three Lions.

“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.

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.

Following England’s hard-fought 2-1 extra-time victory over Norway, head coach Thomas Tuchel publicly criticized his team’s performance, citing a concerning lack of quality throughout the quarterfinal. When asked about his manager’s blunt feedback, Bellingham quickly brushed the comments aside and focused on praising his teammates’ resilience.

“Yeah, well, whatever,” Bellingham said when informed of Tuchel’s reaction. “It’s difficult out there. It’s a tough shift, and all the players put in a tough shift. My thoughts and appreciation go out to all the players out there putting in a great shift.”

Jude Bellingham delivers another world-class performance

Bellingham stood out as the match’s defining player, scoring both goals against Norway to surpass Zinedine Zidane in career World Cup goals. Once again, the Real Madrid star produced a dominant, world-class display when his country needed it most.

Tuchel readily acknowledged Bellingham’s individual brilliance, describing the midfielder’s outing as “world-class.” However, the manager maintained that the squad as a collective unit must perform at a significantly higher level in the next round.

Beyond his goals, Bellingham’s overall impact on the English squad remains transformative. He dictated the flow of midfield play and controlled the match’s tempo—serving as the primary driving force taking the Three Lions within one victory of the World Cup final.

During the postgame interview, a visibly frustrated Thomas Tuchel said “We were lucky today.” The head coach of England was clearly heated as he also spoke on the team’s mentality and how the team fell short of his own expectations.

Tuchel also added, “I’m not happy with the performance… we made life very very difficult for us in the way we played. Sloppy, lot of technical mistakes, not fast enough, not repetitive enough.” His statement was addressed by Jude Bellingham, who dismissed his comments with a clear, short message.

England won in every key stat vs. Norway

While Tuchel might not be happy, numbers don’t lie. Per SofaScore, England had more big chances, more total shots, more passes, more possession and more shots on target than Norway, who had a disallowed goal in the game.

Needless to say, Norway had a great tournament. For Tuchel to expect to just steamroll them is kind of unrealistic. However, the fact remains: while England made it to the final four, where they already await rival for the semifinals, they haven’t been as smooth as some would’ve hoped.

England also had some VAR decisions against them

Harry Kane scored a goal but VAR reversed it due to an offside. While it was a good call by VAR, it was a great play by England. Then, they got a penalty also called back by VAR after a Djed Spence play. If England had a bit more luck, this would’ve been a very solid performance all around.

“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.

FIFA shut down the controversy, as they stated on their official X account: “Before England’s goal in minute 45+2 against Norway, the sensor in the Connected Ball showed no peak in the ‘heartbeat of the ball’ when in the air, and therefore no evidence that the ball touched the overhead wire and changed the movement of the ball.”

Had a deflection occurred, FIFA regulations dictate that the referee should have disallowed Bellingham’s equalizer and restarted play with a dropped ball. Instead, the goal stood as called, completely shifting the momentum of a high-stakes match that ultimately propelled England to a 2-1 victory and a spot in the World Cup semifinals.

Despite the controversy blowing up across social media—with viral footage capturing the furious reactions from the Norwegian bench—England ultimately locked up their spot in the semifinals. The victory was fueled by Bellingham, whose heroic performance allowed him to pass French legend Zinedine Zidane.

Did the ball actually hit the overhead cable?

While multiple video angles circulated online, the footage remains largely inconclusive as to whether the ball made physical contact with one of the Spidercam cables. Still, given the intense eyewitness protests from personnel on the pitch, the officiating crew’s quick decision to validate the equalizer without an extensive on-field review drew sharp criticism.

Because the visual evidence is so ambiguous, any formal appeal by Norway regarding outside interference altering the course of the match is highly unlikely to succeed. Instead, the Norwegian squad must pack its bags and head home, concluding a thoroughly impressive and memorable run in the 2026 World Cup.

With their ticket to the next round punched, the Three Lions now await the winner of the high-stakes quarterfinal matchup between Argentina and Switzerland. The Swiss earned their spot in the final eight by outlasting Colombia in a dramatic penalty shootout, and Argentina know their potential scenarios if win, tie and lose to Switzerland.

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.

In a heated contest amid Miami’s soaring temperatures, the incident occurred after Djed Spence made a driving run down the left wing and entered the penalty area, where he appeared to be kicked from behind by Oscar Bobb. The referee initially pointed to the penalty spot, giving England a golden opportunity to take the lead.

Following a video review, referee Clément Turpin determined that there was no foul worthy of a penalty, overturning England’s appeals and allowing play to continue. The decision became one of the defining moments of a tense extra-time period.

Norway’s goal that was also ruled out

Norway briefly thought they had taken a 2–1 lead when Torbjørn Heggem scored off a loose rebound, but the play was overturned after a decision against Norway in the buildup. England argued there was a foul before the rebound, prompting referee Clément Turpin to check VAR and ultimately disallow the goal in the 2026 World Cup quarterfinals.

How does VAR overturn a penalty decision?

Under FIFA’s VAR protocol, the video review system can intervene when there is a potential clear and obvious error involving a penalty decision. If the VAR believes the referee may have made an incorrect call, the official is invited to review the incident on the pitch-side monitor. After watching the replay, the referee makes the final decision, which may either confirm or overturn the original ruling.