“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.

Roy Keane had a reputation as a no-nonsense captain of Manchester United, Keane was known for his force in the midfield, at times poor sportsmanship, and locker room dust ups.

Barrett is now retired from wrestling but could lace up his wrestling boots one more time to, in his words, ´shut (Keane) up once and for all’.

Why Wade Barrett has heat with Roy Keane

In talking to talkSPORT Barrett was never happy about what Roy Keane said about wrestlers and the WWE. “He talked a little smack once upon a time about me, he’s probably forgotten about it, but I haven’t.

“He actually ridiculed WWE and he mocked the fact that Wayne Rooney was having fun on his day off at WWE instead of focusing and being a miserable git…on Manchester United and training with them and getting his goals up at Man United, whatever he was saying.

“Listen, [if] Roy Keane wants a piece of me I would knock his teeth out in a heartbeat. I probably have 100 pounds on Roy Keane.

“I know he was the tough guy on the pitch. It’s a very different world when you step into a WWE ring and you’re in there with real men like Wade Barrett.

“I would whoop him, I would send him back to Old Trafford, I would send him back to Ireland, wherever he wants to get sent.

“But trust me, I think that will be a spectacle for the ages, WrestleMania in the UK, of me dropping Roy Keane in about five, maybe six seconds.”