Haaland's Father Slams Refereeing After Norway's Exit: 'I Feel We Were Robbed'

Alf-Inge Haaland, father of Norwegian star Erling Haaland, sparked widespread controversy following Norway's 2-1 defeat to England after extra time in the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup, accusing the referee of helping the English team reach the semi-finals.

Haaland Sr. took to X to respond to a fan, stating: "Really? The referee saved you. I hope you win the World Cup, but I feel we were robbed today." He also posted another sarcastic message saying, "Well done Bellingham... and the referee," indicating his belief that the officiating decisions decided the match in England's favor.

These comments from the father of the Norwegian striker came after a series of controversial moments, notably the awarding of England's equalizing goal despite Norwegian protests claiming the ball touched the 'Spider Cam', as well as the disallowance of a Norwegian goal after a VAR review, alongside calls for a penalty in extra time, decisions that angered the Norwegian delegation.

Conversely, several analysts, led by Roy Keane and Ian Wright, refused to blame the referee for Norway's exit, asserting that England was the better side in the match and deserved to advance to the semi-finals, although they acknowledged that some officiating decisions were debatable.