The crucial moment occurred in the 41st minute, with Norway leading 1-0. During a counter-attack, Sorloth advanced the ball down the right wing into the center, creating a two against one situation with Erling Haaland against England's sole center-back, John Stones.

Haaland repeatedly signaled for the ball, but Sorloth chose not to pass. Instead, the Atletico Madrid forward cut inside and took a shot that deflected off an English player before being gathered by goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. Haaland reacted with visible frustration at his teammate's decision.

Following the match in Miami, Sorloth explained his actions, stating he initially intended to pass to Haaland. "All I wanted in that situation was to get the ball to Erling. But on the field, I felt the pass wasn't possible, so I decided to shoot," he told Norwegian newspaper Nettavisen.

The moment Alexander Sorloth did not pass to Erling Haaland in Norway's 1-2 loss to England in the 2026 World Cup quarterfinals at Miami, Miami Gardens on 11/7. Photo: ESPN

The 30-year-old forward elaborated that Stones had blocked the passing lane, and he found the missed opportunity difficult to accept. "I touched the ball and looked up. Then I saw Stones had blocked the pass," he explained. "I took another touch, but that move wasn't good. I waited for him to rush out instead of actively forcing him to make a decision. These are situations where you wish you could do better. I know there will be other chances, but it's truly heavy when it happens on the biggest stage, when we are fighting for a spot in the World Cup semifinals."

On BBC, former forward Alan Shearer expressed dissatisfaction with Sorloth's individual play. "He should have passed the ball for Haaland to face the goalkeeper. He didn't, and then there was no space to break through," the English football legend commented.

American sports channel ESPN also highlighted this incident as a significant turning point in the match.

Alexander Sorloth holds the ball in Norway's 1-2 loss to England in the 2026 World Cup quarterfinals at Miami, Miami Gardens on 11/7. Photo: AP

The match at Hard Rock stadium on 11/7 saw Norway start strongly, taking the lead with a superb goal from Andreas Schjelderup. However, the Nordic team could not maintain their advantage, ultimately losing 1-2 after two goals from Jude Bellingham.

The game was also marred by controversies. Norwegian players protested England's equalizer late in the first half, claiming the ball hit a camera cable on the stadium roof, altering its trajectory. In the second half, Norway again reacted strongly when VAR disallowed Torbjorn Heggem's goal, ruling that Haaland had committed a pushing foul.

"I think we were completely equal with England," Sorloth stated. "With a bit more luck, we would have won. Erling was whistled for a foul, and I don't think it was a foul. A player fell and benefited from that. I find it absurd. On the first goal, the ball even hit a cable on the ceiling, changing its trajectory."

Despite the defeat, Haaland expressed his desire to cherish the positive memories from Norway's memorable journey in the US. "These have been the best weeks and also the best experience of my life," he shared. "Everything was truly incredible, very difficult to take in right now. You feel a bit empty. When you look back at the past 40 days, it was a crazy journey."

Haaland scored 7 goals, including a brace in the 2-1 win over Brazil, helping Norway reach the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time. "It's fantastic. Beating Brazil is one thing, but what I'm most proud of is how we put Norway back on the world football map," the Manchester City forward expressed. "It's hard to fully grasp a journey with so many emotions, so many moments over the past 6 weeks."

The 25-year-old forward believes Norway's 2026 World Cup journey will foster greater cohesion and confidence within Norwegian football. Despite the disappointment of exiting in the quarterfinals, he affirms the team needs to view the defeat as a lesson for continued development.

According to Haaland, their performance at the tournament demonstrates that Norway is building a solid foundation and can compete with top national teams. For a country with only about 5,6 million people, reaching the World Cup quarterfinals is considered a significant turning point, opening a new chapter for the country's football.

Hong Duy (according to Nettavisen, Marca)