Alexander Sorloth, his partner Lena Selnes, and their family have received a wave of death threats and hateful messages following Norway's elimination from the 2026 World Cup. The threats erupted after a decisive moment in the quarterfinal against England: with Norway leading 1-0, Sorloth chose to shoot instead of passing to a wide-open Erling Haaland. The chance was saved, and England rallied to win 2-1 in extra time Source: excelsiormx.
Lena Selnes made the harassment public by sharing screenshots on Instagram, including messages like "Tell your husband to leave Norway," "Please, suicide, idiot," and "I will kill him" Source: lavanguardia, Source: infobae. She stated, "The World Cup brings a lot of happiness, but at the same time generates great hatred. I hope people will be a bit more reflective before insulting and threatening" Source: lavanguardia. Selnes confirmed she is pursuing legal action against the most aggressive accounts Source: excelsiormx.
Norway coach Stale Solbakken described the situation as a "tragedy of modern football" and urged young players to avoid social media for their mental health Source: excelsiormx. The case has renewed debate on online anonymity and the need for stricter laws to combat hate speech in sports Source: lavanguardia.
“Selnes confirmó que ya emprende acciones legales contra las cuentas más hostiles, en las que le piden al jugador del Atlético de Madrid que no vuelva al país y atente contra su integridad.”
“La Copa del Mundo trae mucha felicidad, pero al mismo tiempo genera grandes odios. Espero que la gente sea un poco más reflexiva antes de insultar y amenazar.”
“Por favor, suicídate, idiota; 'Dile a tu hombre que se vaya de Noruega y se tire por un acantilado' o 'Le mataré' fueron algunos de los comentarios que recibió.”
“El técnico calificó el episodio como una auténtica tragedia del futbol moderno. Además, aconsejó a los jugadores jóvenes alejarse de las redes sociales para salvaguardar su salud mental.”
England edge Norway in extra time; France face Spain in semifinal
Norway's World Cup heroes welcomed by 100,000 fans in Oslo despite quarter-final exit
Jude Bellingham Double Sends England Past Norway to Semifinals
Alejandra Jaramillo apologizes, then sparks new controversy with post
England beats Norway 2-1 in controversial World Cup quarterfinal