Death Threats Against Alexander Sorloth After World Cup Miss Spur Calls for Police Investigation

Alexander Sorloth, the Norway striker and teammate of Erling Haaland, has become the target of a torrent of abuse and death threats following Norway's extra-time loss to England in the World Cup quarter-final. The 2-1 defeat has sparked a toxic online backlash, with Sorloth singled out after he squandered a golden chance to double Norway's lead in the second half. On a two-on-one break with Haaland, Sorloth hesitated and saw his shot saved by Jordan Pickford instead of feeding his unmarked teammate. Sorloth has since received hundreds of hateful messages on social media. Among the most-liked comments on his latest Instagram post were: “Never play football again” and “the most hated man in Norway, maybe even the world.” His fiancée, Lena Selnes, also faced a barrage of abuse, including messages that read: “Tell your husband to leave Norway and jump off a cliff” and “I’m going to k*** him.” Selnes addressed the harassment in an Instagram story on Sunday, writing: “The World Cup and football bring a lot of joy, but also a lot of hate. I don't really want to give it any attention, but I need it after comments like this. I hope everyone can think a little extra before making such comments, regardless of the situation.” Sorloth himself had earlier explained the miss. “I take a touch and look up and I see John Stones blocking that pass. Then I take another touch and it's too bad. I'm waiting for him to make a tackle instead of me making him make a tackle,” he said. “The only thing I want to do in that situation is to cross to Erling. Then it feels like that pass isn't going to work, and then I go for a shot.” Norway coach Stale Solbakken offered his support, saying: “That's the world we live in, and the emotions run high. It's tragic, and there's nothing more to say about it. That's why I tell the guys to stay away from social media, especially on days like this. That's not where you should get your energy.” Now the Norwegian Athletes’ Union (NISO) has stepped in. Its leader, Kristoffer Vatshaug, has called for police involvement. “No one should have to accept being subjected to this because they are doing their job. Harassment and threats are not part of the sport that athletes just have to learn to live with. We can never accept that,” he wrote. “We believe that specific threats, calls for violence or other illegal expressions should always be considered and reported. It is important that such cases are taken seriously and have consequences.”