Norway national team manager Stale Solbakken has defended Alexander Sorloth after the striker faced heavy criticism for not passing the ball to Erling Haaland during their defeat against England.
After Norway took the lead, England pushed forward in search of an equaliser, creating an opportunity for the Norwegians to break quickly. Sorloth and Haaland found themselves in a two-on-one situation against John Stones, with many believing Norway had a strong chance to double their advantage.
Solbakken supports Sorloth
Many observers felt the opportunity would have resulted in a goal if Sorloth had passed the ball to Haaland. However, the Atletico Madrid striker chose to attempt the finish himself, and his effort was blocked.
Jude Bellingham later scored twice for England, securing victory and leaving Norway to reflect on a missed opportunity that could have changed the outcome of the match.
Many Norwegian supporters believe the game could have been different if Sorloth had played Haaland through and helped Norway establish a 2-0 lead. Instead, the forward received significant criticism, including abuse and death threats following the incident.
Despite the reaction, Solbakken refused to blame Sorloth for the defeat. The Norway manager defended his player and highlighted the importance of unity within the squad.
Norway remain united
According to TV2, Solbakken praised the team’s collective attitude and insisted that responsibility should be shared after both victories and defeats.
He said: “Then I read great football understanding. That’s exactly what’s the biggest thing about this. That we are together on something. We lose and win together. I think the audience feels that here there was one for everyone, everyone for one”
Solbakken’s comments underline his belief that football decisions can happen in moments and that individual players should not be targeted after a difficult result.
Sorloth will now focus on recovering from the disappointment and continuing to contribute for Norway. The striker remains an important member of the squad, and his manager’s support shows that the team intends to move forward together.