Norway striker Alexander Sorloth has become the latest player targeted with online abuse at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after receiving messages telling him to take his own life following his country’s quarter-final defeat to England, Reuters reported.
The Atletico Madrid forward faced fierce criticism after Norway’s dramatic 2-1 extra-time defeat to England on Saturday.
The anger came after a key moment in the match when Sorloth decided to shoot instead of passing to an unmarked Erling Haaland during a two-on-one break while Norway were leading 1-0. His shot was blocked before England levelled the game and later sealed victory to book a place in the semi-finals.
The abuse grew on social media after Sorloth’s partner, Lena Selnes, shared screenshots on Instagram showing several abusive messages, including posts telling the 30-year-old striker to take his own life.
Norway coach Stale Solbakken condemned the attacks and said they showed the dark side of today’s football culture.
“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.”
After the match, Sorloth stood by his decision. He said he wanted to pass to Haaland but believed England defender John Stones had blocked 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.”
The latest incident is one of several cases of online abuse aimed at players during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Football authorities and teams have continued to call for stronger action against social media harassment after major matches.
