Erling Haaland left Miami Gardens frustrated after Norway’s historic World Cup run ended in a 2-1 extra-time quarterfinal loss to England on July 11. Norway thought it had taken a 2-1 lead when Torbjørn Heggem converted a rebound, but VAR advised referee Clément Turpin to review Haaland’s push on Manchester City teammate Elliot Anderson before the corner.
Turpin disallowed the goal and ordered the corner to be retaken. Norway’s first World Cup appearance in 28 years ended one victory short of the semifinals, prompting criticism of the officiating from Haaland, his father, and other members of the Norwegian camp.
Norway reaches quarterfinals after years away
Norway returned to the World Cup for the first time since 1998 and advanced to its first quarterfinal. The team progressed from the group stage before defeating Côte d’Ivoire 2-1 in the Round of 32 and Brazil 2-1 in the Round of 16.
Haaland entered the England match with 7 goals in 4 appearances, including both goals against Brazil. His performances helped propel Norway to the best World Cup finish in the country’s history. The quarterfinal against England was viewed as the biggest test of Norway’s tournament so far.
The run generated intense interest at home, with demand for national-team merchandise soaring as Norway prepared to pursue its first World Cup semifinal appearance. Supporters traveled to Miami in large numbers, creating an electric atmosphere before kickoff.
England edges Norway in extra time
England defeated Norway 2-1 after extra time. Andreas Schjelderup opened the scoring in the 36th minute, but Jude Bellingham equalized in first-half stoppage time and scored the winner in the 93rd minute. Conditions were brutal, with the heat index topping 100 degrees for much of the match.
Haaland recorded 2 shots, with 1 on target, before Ståle Solbakken replaced him at halftime of extra time. Solbakken said Haaland was physically spent and had also sustained a dead leg.
England held its lead during the final 15 minutes and advanced to face Argentina in the semifinals, while Norway’s players embraced afterward, aware their historic run had reached a bittersweet conclusion.
Controversial call wipes out Norway’s goal
Norway thought it had regained the lead in the 55th minute when Torbjørn Heggem converted the rebound from Alexander Sørloth’s saved attempt. VAR advised referee Clément Turpin to review an incident that occurred before the corner reached the penalty area. Replays showed Haaland pushing Manchester City teammate Elliot Anderson to the ground.
Turpin disallowed the goal and ordered Norway to retake the corner, leaving the score at 1-1. The Norwegian camp felt the contact was minor and part of normal physical play. Haaland questioned the decision afterward, saying that if officials treated the contact as a foul, he should receive free kicks for similar pushing and pulling in almost every match.
Haaland reacts to the disallowed goal decision
Haaland said Norway’s elimination left him feeling empty and described the disallowed goal as a soft decision. He argued that officials regularly allow comparable pushing and pulling during penalty-area challenges. The striker said Norway deserved more from the match, given their overall performance.
Despite the disappointment, Haaland called Norway’s World Cup campaign one of the most memorable experiences of his life, saying the run had exceeded expectations and felt unreal given it was Norway’s first World Cup trip in decades. He said the team had put Norway on the map and hoped its run would inspire young players at home to believe they could compete on football’s biggest stage.
Fun fact: Haaland became the first player since Toni Kroos and André Schürrle in 2014 to score twice against Brazil in a World Cup match.
Spidercam wire adds new controversy
Norway questioned whether Ørjan Nyland’s goal kick had struck an overhead camera wire shortly before Bellingham scored England’s equalizer. Nyland and members of the Norwegian bench protested after the ball appeared to drop unusually sharply.
Solbakken said the ball appeared to hit something, while other Norwegian players also questioned its trajectory. Under the Laws of the Game, play would have restarted with a dropped ball if it had struck an outside object.
FIFA reviewed data from the Connected Ball and released a statement saying the sensor recorded no evidence that the ball touched the wire. The organization, therefore, maintained that England’s goal had been awarded correctly.
Coach defends decision to substitute Haaland
: Ståle Solbakken replaced Haaland with Jørgen Strand Larsen at halftime of extra time, leaving Norway without its leading scorer for the closing stretch of the match. Solbakken called the substitution a straightforward decision because Haaland had exhausted his energy and sustained a dead leg during the second half.
The coach added that he might have made the change 10 minutes earlier. England’s defensive plan, which drew partly on the experience of players familiar with Haaland from Manchester City and the Premier League, held the Norwegian striker to just 2 shots, 1 of which was on target.
Haaland’s father slams referee after loss
Alf-Inge Haaland, Erling’s father and a former Norway international, criticized the officiating after the match. Responding to a post on X, he wrote that England had been saved by the referee and that he felt Norway had been robbed.
He nevertheless said he hoped England would go on to win the World Cup. In a separate post referring to Bellingham’s winning goal, he sarcastically congratulated both the player and the referee. The remarks quickly drew attention from fans and media covering the knockout stages.
Several former England players rejected his complaints, arguing that Norway had failed to capitalize on its own opportunities during the match. The debate added another chapter to the story of Norway’s memorable campaign.
What comes next for the Norway squad
Norway returns from the World Cup after reaching the quarterfinals for the first time. Haaland finished with 7 goals in 5 appearances and was later selected for FIFA’s fan-voted World Cup Dream Team. Younger players gained valuable experience that could benefit future qualifying campaigns.
Ståle Solbakken will continue leading the national team under a contract that runs through Euro 2028, provided Norway qualifies for the tournament. Norway’s next competitive campaign begins with UEFA Nations League matches against Denmark, Portugal, and Wales.
The team can now build on a World Cup run that included its first knockout-stage victories and a memorable 2-1 win over Brazil. Norway will now turn its attention to qualifying for the next major tournament.
Little-known fact: Haaland was born in July 2000, making the 2026 tournament the first men’s World Cup involving Norway during his lifetime.
TL;DR
- Norway lost 2-1 to England in extra time in the World Cup quarterfinal.
- A VAR call ruled Haaland fouled Elliot Anderson, wiping out a Norwegian goal.
- Haaland called the decision empty and bitter but praised Norway’s historic run.
- Coach Solbakken defended subbing Haaland out due to fatigue and a leg injury.
- Alf-Inge Haaland said Norway was robbed and criticized the officiating.
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This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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