A Fair Loser
The head coach refused to apportion blame after the match. He showed himself to be a fair loser. "I can't remember. But such decisions can happen, we've seen that with others too. I wish England all the best."
The English equaliser by Jude Bellingham just before half-time, in particular, sparked a lot of discussion. The ball is said to have touched the "Spider-Cam" in the build-up (All info >>>).
Sörloth Misses Chance for 2-0 Lead
For over 120 minutes, the Norwegians fought an even battle against the 1966 world champions, taking the lead after 36 minutes with a dream goal from Andreas Schjelderup.
A few minutes later, after a promising counter-attack, Alexander Sörloth missed the pass to the freely breaking Erling Haaland. It was a golden opportunity for a 2-0 lead.
After Bellingham's equaliser, the match remained open, with the "Three Lions" finding the better end in extra time.
Pride Prevails
"We didn't have any magic on our side today. At this level, you can't make mistakes. But I am very proud. The worst thing is to lose," Solbakken summarised the match.
Despite the defeat and World Cup exit, pride in what they achieved prevails among the Northern Europeans. For the first time since 1998, Norway participated in a World Cup finals, and they immediately reached the quarter-finals.
"The summer of 2026 was great. For us and the whole country. We lived up to the hype and we were better than we hoped," the coach praised his players.
