Following the match at Hard Rock Stadium on 11/7, Alf-Inge stated that the officiating crew made numerous errors that disadvantaged Norway, leading to their defeat. Television cameras also captured Haaland's father raising his middle finger towards England defender Djed Spence. On X, he congratulated "Jude Bellingham and the referee," while also claiming Norway had been "robbed of victory."

The match was riddled with controversy. Norwegian players argued that the ball had touched a camera cable above the stadium roof, leading to England's equalizer late in the first half. In the second half, Norway protested again when video assistant referee (VAR) intervened, disallowing Torbjorn Heggem's goal, ruling that Haaland had committed a foul by pushing an opponent.

Roy Keane commented on the Stick to Football program on 12/7. *Photo: Youtube*

Commenting on 12/7 on the Stick to Football program, Keane sarcastically suggested that Alf-Inge's observations might have been influenced by alcohol. "He always looks like he's been drinking when watching matches. If you're drinking while watching football, your perception of the game will be different," the former Ireland midfielder stated.

Keane asserted that he was offering an objective assessment of the match officiating, despite admitting he often tends to support England's opponents.

"I usually lean slightly towards England's opponents in a 50-50 situation. But that was clearly a push before the goal," the 54-year-old former player said, referring to Norway's disallowed goal. "Players' families and fans are often emotional after a match, which is understandable. However, looking back calmly, it cannot be said that the referee caused Norway's defeat."

Key moments from England's 2-1 victory over Norway.

Gary Neville concurred with this view. "I don't think England was favored by the referee. Against Ghana, it was different; when Ezri Konsa committed a foul, England wasn't penalized with a penalty. That's when you feel lucky," the former Manchester United defender recalled a controversial incident in England's 0-0 group stage draw with Ghana.

Former England and Arsenal striker Ian Wright suggested Alf-Inge Haaland's bitter reaction stemmed from his team's loss: "His congratulating Bellingham and the referee simply because of Norway's defeat is a rather intemperate comment."

After Keane's statements, many social media accounts shared excerpts from the program. Alf-Inge commented under a post: "A scumbag will always be a scumbag," but later deleted it.

Roy Keane shouted at Alf-Inge Haaland after a dangerous tackle in the Manchester United versus Manchester City match in 2001. *Photo: Allsport*

The feud between Keane and Alf-Inge Haaland originated in 1997 when Keane suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture but was shouted at by Haaland, who mocked him for feigning injury. Then in 2001, during the Manchester derby, the then-Manchester United midfielder retaliated with a dangerous tackle, stomping directly on Haaland's right knee and receiving a direct red card. Keane even yelled at Haaland: "Don't ever stand over me and laugh about fake injuries again."

This brutal tackle severely impacted Haaland's career, leading him to make only four more substitute appearances the following season before retiring.

The conflict between Roy Keane and Alfie Haaland.

After the incident, Keane was suspended for three matches and fined 5,000 pounds by the Football Association (FA). A year later, he received a more severe penalty – a five-match suspension and a 150,000 pounds fine – after admitting in his autobiography that he intentionally sought to injure Haaland. According to the FA, Keane committed two offenses. The first was intentionally colliding with the intent to injure an opponent. More seriously, his statements about wanting revenge on another player negatively impacted the image of the beautiful game.

Despite facing criticism, Keane has repeatedly stated he has no regrets. In 2021, the former Ireland international said he had never regretted any action on the pitch: "I never tried to injure anyone, but did I try to hurt opponents? Of course, I did."

Not only stopping at the father's generation, Keane has also repeatedly attacked Erling Haaland. He once called the Manchester City striker a "spoiled brat" for showing displeasure after being substituted despite scoring four goals against Wolves. The 54-year-old former midfielder also criticized Haaland's overall play as poor, likening him to a League Two player, while acknowledging his goal-scoring ability is among the best in the world.

Hong Duy (via Daily Mail)