Fifa World Cup: Alexander Sorloth under fire for Erling Haaland error in Norway defeat
Norway's Alexander Sorloth is facing intense backlash from fans and commentators after failing to pass to Erling Haaland during a critical moment in their World Cup loss to England. The incident has become a viral topic, with many criticizing the striker's decision-making during the 2-1 defeat.
Why it matters
This incident illustrates the intense public and social media scrutiny faced by professional athletes during high-stakes international tournaments.
Norway bowed out of the World Cup on Saturday in Miami, losing 2-1 to England after extra-time, and for once Erling Haaland’s performance was not the main talking point.
The first of Jude Bellingham’s match-winning double cancelled out Andreas Schjelderup’s opener, just minutes after the Three Lions escaped falling two goals behind.
In the 44th minute, a Norwegian counter-attack found Alexander Sorloth in a 2-on-1 against John Stones, with an unmarked Haaland to his left.
Sorloth opted not to pass, kept the ball until England’s defenders tracked back, and made a clumsy dribble before seeing his deflected shot collected by Jordan Pickford.
The internet was not kind to the Atletico Madrid frontman following his mistake.
While most comments called Sorloth “stupid”, “an idiot” and “selfish”, other commentators took it to the next level, suggesting the 30-year-old striker’s entire World Cup will be remembered for his decision to ignore Haaland.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in