Haaland criticizes refereeing decisions after Norway’s World Cup exit

Monday 13 - 11:15

By: Azzat Manal

Haaland criticizes refereeing decisions after Norway’s World Cup exit

Norway captain Erling Haaland voiced his frustration over the refereeing following his team's dramatic 2-1 extra-time defeat to England in the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, insisting that several key decisions had a major impact on the outcome.

The Manchester City striker questioned the referee's decision to disallow a second-half goal scored by Norway after he was judged to have committed a foul during the build-up. Haaland argued that the physical contact involved was no different from the challenges he routinely experiences during matches and believed the goal should have stood.

Speaking after the game, the Norwegian forward said his team deserved a better result and expressed disappointment that what he described as a minor challenge was enough to overturn a crucial goal. He added that if such incidents are consistently ruled as fouls, similar decisions should be applied throughout every match.

The controversy did not end there. Norwegian midfielder Sander Berge also criticized the officiating, maintaining that the disallowed goal was legitimate and describing the physical contact as a normal part of football.

Members of the Norwegian camp also raised questions about England's equalizer, with reports suggesting the ball may have come into contact with a Spidercam cable before crossing the goal line. The incident sparked further debate after the final whistle, although the goal remained valid under the match officials' decision.

Despite the disappointment of elimination, Norway's campaign was widely viewed as a significant step forward. The team delivered several impressive performances throughout the tournament, while Haaland enjoyed an outstanding individual competition, finishing among the tournament's leading scorers with seven goals.

England, meanwhile, advanced to the semi-finals, keeping alive its hopes of lifting the World Cup trophy for the first time since 1966. The match added another chapter to the long-running discussion surrounding refereeing decisions and the role of technology in football's biggest competitions.