Oslo: Norway striker Alexander Sørloth has spoken of his regret after a crucial missed opportunity in his team's FIFA World Cup quarter final defeat to England, as he and his family continue to receive death threats and abusive messages on social media following the match.
The incident happened during the first half of Norway's quarter final against England. With Norway leading 1 0, Sørloth found himself in a promising attacking position with only one defender to beat. Erling Haaland was running freely alongside him and appeared to have an excellent chance to score if he received the ball. Instead of making the pass, Sørloth decided to shoot. England defender John Stones blocked the effort, denying Norway the chance to double their lead. England later fought back to win the match 2 1 after extra time, ending Norway's impressive World Cup campaign.
The missed opportunity quickly became one of the tournament's biggest talking points. Football fans and television pundits debated whether the striker should have passed to Haaland instead of trying to score himself. Many believed a second goal at that stage of the match could have changed the result and possibly sent Norway into the semi finals.
Speaking after the defeat, Sørloth admitted that he was disappointed with the outcome but insisted that he had not ignored his teammate on purpose. The Atletico Madrid forward explained that he initially wanted to pass to Haaland but believed England defender John Stones had moved into the passing lane. Faced with only a split second to decide, he chose to take the shot himself.
Sørloth said football often forces players to make instant decisions under pressure and that situations can appear very different when viewed later on television. He acknowledged that the moment would stay with him for a long time but said there had been no selfish intention behind his decision.
While criticism from supporters is common after major tournaments, the reaction soon crossed the line. Sørloth's partner, Lena Selnes, revealed that the player and their family had received hundreds of hateful messages on social media. Some of the messages reportedly encouraged him to take his own life, while others contained direct death threats.
The abuse has shocked many within the football community and renewed calls for stronger action against online harassment directed at professional athletes.
Norway coach Ståle Solbakken strongly condemned those responsible for the messages. He described the abuse as unacceptable and said no football mistake should ever result in threats against a player's life or family. Solbakken also advised players to avoid reading social media immediately after important matches because emotions often lead to extreme reactions from some supporters.
Despite widespread discussion on social media, there is no evidence of any disagreement between Sørloth and Haaland following the match. Rumours claiming that Haaland had unfollowed his Norway teammate on Instagram were found to be false. Fact checks confirmed that Haaland continues to follow Sørloth and has made no public criticism of the striker.
Football analysts have continued to examine the decisive moment from different angles. Some believe passing to Haaland would almost certainly have produced a goal, while others point out that players have only fractions of a second to judge defenders, teammates and space before making a decision. Former players have also noted that situations often look much clearer from television replays than they do on the field during a fast moving match.
As Norway begins to reflect on a World Cup campaign that exceeded many expectations, attention has shifted away from the missed chance itself to the growing problem of online abuse in sport. Players, coaches and football authorities have once again urged supporters to remember that athletes are human beings who can make mistakes under pressure.
For Sørloth, the disappointment of the missed opportunity will remain part of his World Cup story. However, many across the football world believe that no sporting mistake should ever lead to threats or abuse against a player or their family, and they hope the incident will encourage stronger efforts to tackle toxic behaviour on social media.