One moment of hesitation in the World Cup quarterfinal sparked a storm of online hate. The target was Norway forward Alexander Sørloth. He turned down a golden chance to set up Erling Haaland during a 2-1 extra-time loss to England.
Sørloth Online Abuse Follows a Costly Miss
The flashpoint arrived in the 44th minute. Norway led 1-0 and broke forward on a two-on-one. Haaland stood completely unmarked, yet Sørloth hesitated and fired a contested shot that John Stones blocked.
Many fans believe a simple pass would have made it 2-0. In their eyes, that cushion would have ended England’s comeback. Instead, the Three Lions fought back, and Jude Bellingham struck in extra time to send Norway home.
The backlash was brutal. Sørloth’s posts usually attract around 2,000 comments. However, his upload after the defeat reportedly drew close to 70,000. In short, the Sørloth online abuse became impossible to ignore.
Sørloth did not hide from it. During the post-match press conference, he lowered his head and owned the mistake. Furthermore, he insisted his only aim was to find Haaland, but the pass simply was not there.
His teammates have rallied around him. Captain Martin Ødegaard spoke publicly about the incident and Haaland’s response. As a result, the dressing room appears united despite the outside noise.
Born in 1995, the Atlético Madrid striker is known across Europe for his strength and fierce left foot. Still, he issued a heartfelt apology to Haaland, his teammates and Norwegian fans.
Why the Anger Landed on One Player
Blaming one player for a team defeat is rarely fair, though. Norway, after all, reached their first quarterfinal in decades. Frustrated supporters often hunt for a single villain, because one clear target feels easier than accepting a shared loss.
For now, Sørloth must block out the noise and move forward. Nevertheless, a striker of his class will get more big chances. He has scored freely for club and country throughout the qualifying run. Norway’s golden generation, meanwhile, is far from finished.
