Alf-Inge Haaland, father of Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, offered a bitter five-word reaction after England knocked Norway out of the 2026 World Cup with a 2-1 victory in the quarter-finals. The match, held at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, saw Norway take an early lead through Andreas Schjelderup's 36th-minute cross that found the net. However, Jude Bellingham scored a brace to turn the game around for England, with his equaliser coming just before half-time.
Controversy Over Bellingham's Equaliser
Bellingham's first goal sparked controversy as Norway players claimed the ball had struck an overhead camera cable before reaching the midfielder. FIFA later issued a statement denying the claim, stating: '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.'
Norway also had a goal disallowed in the second half when Torbjorn Heggem's strike was ruled out after a VAR check. The referee penalised Erling Haaland for a foul on Elliot Anderson during a corner kick. Because Martin Odegaard had not yet taken the corner, Norway were allowed to retake the set-piece, but they failed to score.
Haaland Snr's Reaction
Reacting to a post from transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, which highlighted that Bellingham had scored six goals at the 2026 World Cup, Alf-Inge Haaland wrote: 'Well done Bellingham and referee.' The comment was widely interpreted as a bitter swipe at the officiating, given the controversial decisions that went against Norway.
Bellingham, a former teammate of Erling Haaland at Borussia Dortmund, has been instrumental in England's campaign. His brace against Norway took his tournament tally to six goals, making him one of the standout performers of the World Cup.
Norway's exit marks the end of a promising run, with Erling Haaland unable to find the net in the quarter-final. The defeat will likely fuel discussions about the standard of officiating in high-stakes matches.
