Erling Haaland’s Father Slams Referee After Norway’s World Cup Exit, Calls England Win ‘Robbery’

Alfie Haaland, father of Norway striker Erling Haaland, has criticised the officiating in Norway's 2-1 defeat to England in the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, claiming his country was denied a fair result.

England booked their place in the semi-finals after Jude Bellingham scored a dramatic brace, including a stoppage-time winner, to overturn Andreas Schjelderup's first-half opener.

Following the match, Alfie Haaland took to social media to vent his frustration, insisting the referee's decisions favoured the Three Lions.

"Really? Saved by the referee. Hope you win the WC now. But feel we got robbed today," he wrote on X.

Norway's biggest grievance came in the 53rd minute when Torbjørn Heggem's goal was ruled out after VAR adjudged Erling Haaland to have fouled Elliot Anderson in the build-up.

The Norwegians also questioned the validity of Bellingham's first goal, arguing that the ball had struck the aerial camera following a goal kick from goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland. Under FIFA regulations, play should be stopped and restarted with a dropped ball if the ball makes contact with an outside object.

However, FIFA later clarified that the tournament's ball-tracking technology detected no contact between the ball and the aerial camera during the move, meaning the goal stood.

England eventually completed the comeback with Bellingham's stoppage-time winner to seal a 2-1 victory and advance to the last four, while Norway's World Cup campaign came to an end.

Opinion:

Controversial refereeing decisions are an unavoidable part of football, particularly in high-stakes knockout matches. While Norway will understandably feel aggrieved by some of the calls, FIFA's explanation regarding the aerial camera incident provides an official basis for the decisions made. Ultimately, such moments highlight the fine margins that often separate victory from elimination at the World Cup, and debates over refereeing are likely to continue long after the final whistle.