Alfie Haaland is not one to stay quiet, and he didn’t start now. After Norway lost 2-1 to England in extra time of the World Cup quarterfinals, the former Manchester City midfielder pointed his finger squarely at the official in charge.
His post on X was short and sharp. “Well done Bellingham and referee.” That was it. A backhanded compliment to Jude Bellingham, who scored both England goals, and a clear jab at referee Clement Turpin.
Two calls that flipped the game
The controversy started before halftime. England’s equalizer came from a sequence that probably should have been stopped. Norway goalkeeper Orjan Nyland took a goal kick that clipped an overhead cable at Miami Stadium. The ball dropped out of the air right to Elliot Anderson, who started the move that ended with Bellingham scoring.
By the rulebook, that’s a direct interference. The goal should have been wiped off. VAR didn’t call Turpin over. FIFA later said their “snicko” technology showed no evidence the ball actually touched the wire, so no mistake was made. Replays suggested otherwise.
Then came the second half. Norway thought they’d grabbed the lead again. Torbjorn Heggem smashed one home from a corner. But VAR stepped in this time. The review determined Erling Haaland pushed Anderson to the ground before the ball came in. Turpin went to the monitor, saw it, and overturned the goal.
Norway’s players were livid. Replays showed a normal jostle for position, not a clear foul. But the call stood.
England got their own VAR headaches
It wasn’t all one-sided. Harry Kane had a shout for a foul on Norway’s opener that went nowhere. And England had a penalty overturned in extra time. No team walked away loving the technology.
But the difference is England walked away with a semifinal spot. Norway walked away with questions.
Stale Solbakken, Norway’s manager, took the high road after the match. He said he was proud of his team and didn’t want to make excuses. “There are many situations today. These things happen. We just want to wish England the best of luck.”
Alfie Haaland wasn’t in the mood for that kind of grace. His son Erling was the one penalized for the disallowed goal. And in a game this tight, one call can change everything. Norway is left wondering what might have been.
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