Ståle Solbakken, the head coach of the Norwegian national team, expressed his deep sadness after his team's 2-1 loss to England in the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup, emphasizing that his players gave their all and do not deserve any blame despite exiting the tournament.

Solbakken said in the post-match press conference: "I feel great sadness for the players; this is football at its highest level, giving you the most beautiful and hardest moments depending on which side you are on. We were lucky against Brazil, but luck was not on our side today."

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He added: "After a tough first 20 minutes, we gave a heroic performance by all measures against a great team. I cannot ask more from the players than what they gave on the field." The Norwegian coach also pointed out that his team managed to get back into the game after the first cooling break, saying: "We played great football and created many chances, but the immense effort the players put in was not enough to maintain the same intensity until the end."

He also praised the huge fan support that the team received, affirming that the fans' backing was a source of pride for everyone, adding: "We must be strong in moments of defeat, and not look for excuses or blame the refereeing decisions; this is the highest level of football."

Solbakken, visibly emotional, spoke about the next phase, saying: "Now we need to catch our breath. We spent six and a half weeks together as one family, and I am proud of what we achieved and that we met expectations and succeeded in taking a new step in this World Cup."

The head coach concluded his remarks by referring to the refereeing controversy surrounding Erling Haaland's incident, affirming: "There were some decisions that did not go in our favor, but that is the nature of football, and in the end, we wish England all the best for the rest of their tournament journey."