Why I Didn’t Pass to Haaland — Sorloth Breaks Silence as Online Abuse Mounts

Alexander Sorloth defended his decision not to pass to Erling Haaland after Norway’s defeat as online abuse and death threats escalated following the match.

Norway striker Alexander Sorloth has explained why he failed to pass to Erling Haaland during his side’s FIFA World Cup quarter final defeat to England, as he continues to face a wave of online abuse following the match.

According to Reuters, the Atletico Madrid forward has received abusive messages on social media, including comments urging him to take his own life after Norway’s dramatic 2-1 extra time loss on Saturday.

The criticism followed a crucial moment in the match when Sorloth elected to shoot instead of passing to an unmarked Haaland during a two on one counter attack with Norway leading 1-0. His effort was blocked before England equalised and later scored the winner to reach the semi finals.

The abuse intensified after Sorloth’s partner, Lena Selnes, shared screenshots on Instagram showing several offensive messages directed at the 30-year-old striker.

Reacting to the criticism, Sorloth defended his decision, insisting he had intended to pass to Haaland but believed England defender John Stones had closed the passing lane.

“The only thing I wanted to do in that situation was to pass to Erling,” Sorloth said.

“But it felt like the pass wasn’t there, so I went to shoot.”

Norway head coach Stale Solbakken condemned the online attacks, describing them as unacceptable and urging players to avoid social media after emotionally charged matches.

“It is tragic,” Solbakken told reporters in Miami.

“That is the world we live in. I tell the boys to stay away from social media, especially on days like this.”

“There is nothing more to say about it other than it is completely devoid of sense on every possible level.”

The incident has added to growing concerns over the level of abuse footballers face online during major tournaments.

Football authorities, clubs and players have repeatedly called on social media platforms to strengthen measures against online harassment, particularly messages targeting athletes after high profile matches.

England advanced to the World Cup semi finals following the victory, while Norway exited the tournament after falling short despite leading for much of the contest.