Overview
- Fans and some media singled out Alexander Sørloth for a missed chance that came just before England's equaliser and for a match sequence that included a disputed goal which hit an aerial camera cable.
- Sørloth and his partner have been sent homophobic slurs, explicit calls for suicide and direct threats of murder, with his partner Lena Selnes posting screenshots of the messages on Instagram.
- Norway coach Ståle Solbakken has advised players to stay off social platforms as an immediate step to reduce exposure to online harassment.
- Tournament-wide data put the problem in context: FIFA said it signalled more than 89,000 hate messages earlier in the World Cup, and other players including Jaminton Campaz, João Neves and Kylian Mbappé have also been targeted online.
- The attacks are affecting players and their families and could increase pressure on national teams, social platforms and authorities to take stronger action against coordinated threats and abusive accounts.