Norway’s Alexander Sørloth Explains His Missed Pass to Haaland as Girlfriend Calls Out Hate

Norway’s World Cup run ended in Miami with a quarterfinal loss to England. But the real damage came after the final whistle.

Forward Alexander Sørloth found himself at the center of a social media firestorm when he took a shot instead of passing to Erling Haaland in the 43rd minute. Norway led 1-0 at the time. Sørloth had a clear lane to Haaland for what could have been a sure goal. He didn’t take it. He fired from distance instead and missed. The score stayed 1-0. England came back to win 2-1.

Within minutes, the comments rolled in. And they weren’t just about the game.

Sørloth’s girlfriend, Lena Selnes, posted on Instagram stories to address the barrage. She shared screenshots of direct messages and comments — some of them viciously personal, aimed at both her and Sørloth. “The World Cup and football bring a lot of joy, but also a lot of hate,” Selnes wrote, translated from Norwegian. “I don’t really want to give it any attention, but feel the need to after comments like this.”

The backlash didn’t surprise anyone who watched the play. In real time, it looked like a simple error. Haaland was open. Sørloth didn’t feed him. Norway fans and neutrals alike groaned. But the online pile-on went beyond standard sports frustration. Selnes’s screenshots showed messages calling Sørloth selfish, questioning his character and even attacking her appearance.

Speaking to reporters after the exit, Sørloth explained what went through his mind in that moment. “I take a touch and look up, and then I see that [John] Stones blocks that pass,” he said. “Then I take another touch, and that is too bad. I wait for him to make a move instead of me making him make a move. The only thing I want in that situation there is to pass to Erling. Then it feels like that pass isn’t there, and then I go for the shot.”

Sørloth started every game for Norway except the group match against France. He played the full 90 minutes against England. For a team that entered the tournament with only three household names — Haaland, Martin Odegaard and Sørloth himself — Norway outperformed expectations. They knocked out a couple of higher-ranked teams to reach the quarters. They played England tight until the end.

None of that shielded Sørloth from the mob. The hate campaign hasn’t let up since the final whistle. Selnes’s post was a rare public acknowledgment from someone close to a player who usually lets the noise slide. Whether it quiets the critics is another question. But for now, Sørloth’s version of events is the only one that matters: he saw a blocked passing lane, hesitated and opted for the shot. It didn’t work. He owned it.