Haaland slams refereeing after Norway's World Cup exit to England

Erling Haaland did not hold back in his assessment of the officiating after Norway fell to England in the 2026 World Cup quarterfinals, losing 2-1 in a tightly contested match at a packed stadium. The Manchester City striker admitted the defeat stung deeply, especially given how close his side came to reaching the semifinals for the first time in the nation's history. “It hurts a lot right now. I feel we deserved more. We were one step away from beating England. We gave them a real fight — and that leaves a strange mix of pride and emptiness,” Haaland said. However, the 24-year-old was particularly vocal about referee Clément Turpin, suggesting that crucial borderline calls all went against Norway. “Those little 50-50 decisions decide games at a World Cup. Against Brazil we managed to tip the scales our way. Today every close call went against us. And when you’re playing a team like England, that makes it incredibly hard.” Norway thought they had equalized early in the second half when Torbjørn Heggem headed home from a corner, but Turpin overturned the goal after a VAR review, ruling that Haaland had fouled Elliot Anderson in the buildup. “They disallowed our goal because I supposedly pushed Anderson to the ground. But I get pushed like that in almost every duel. Honestly, it’s a bit frustrating,” Haaland said. Despite the bitter exit, the striker emphasized that Norway’s run had been transformative. “Right now it’s hard to see, but I think this tournament changed Norway. I’m proud of this team. I hope every Norwegian is proud too. What we achieved is huge.” Haaland finished the World Cup with seven goals in five appearances, including a decisive performance in Norway’s victory over Brazil earlier in the knockout stage.