Roy Keane Takes Swipe at Erling Haaland’s Father After Norway’s World Cup Loss: ‘Always Seems to Be Drinking’

Erling Haaland of Norway in action during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Quarter Final match between Norway and England at Miami Stadium on July 11, 2026 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo: Liu Lu/VCG via Associated Press)

Roy Keane reignited his decades-long feud with Alf-Inge Haaland by joking that Erling Haaland’s father was too busy drinking alcohol to accurately remember Norway’s World Cup loss to England.

The Manchester United legend made the remark while discussing England’s 2-1 victory over Norway on the Stick to Football podcast after Alf-Inge Haaland claimed his country had been “robbed” by the officiating.

“Will he remember the game?” Keane said, according to Goal.com. “Because he always seems to be drinking alcohol at the matches, the dad.

“No, he does! If you’re having a drink then you’re seeing the game differently.”

Keane’s comments came after Alf-Inge Haaland criticized the referee following England’s quarterfinal victory, which was powered by two goals from Jude Bellingham.

After the match, Alf-Inge Haaland posted on social media: “Well done Bellingham and referee.”

He later responded to journalist Henry Winter’s analysis of the game, writing: “Saved by the referee. Hope you win the WC now. But feel we got robbed today.”

Norway’s biggest complaint centered on a disallowed goal after Erling Haaland was penalized for pushing an England defender before a corner kick.

While Keane acknowledged England may have received the benefit of a few close decisions throughout the match, he rejected the idea that the decisive call was controversial.

“I think the referee was giving England a lot of calls, 50-50s,” Keane said. “I’m not talking about the major ones. He seemed to be just on the side of England.

“I’m not sitting here going, ‘He’s cost Norway,’ absolutely not.”

Keane added that the foul leading to the disallowed goal was clear-cut.

“Listen, I’ll always be trying to go the other way [against England] a little bit if it’s 50-50, but the push is a push and then he heads it, so there you go.”

Former Arsenal striker Ian Wright was even more dismissive of Haaland’s complaints, calling Erling Haaland’s challenge “a ridiculous push” and saying the referee made the correct decision. Gary Neville also backed the officials’ ruling.

Keane’s jab added another chapter to one of English soccer’s most famous rivalries.

The Irishman and Alf-Inge Haaland have been at odds since their Premier League playing days. In 2001, Keane was sent off after a studs-up challenge on Haaland during the Manchester derby.

Keane has long maintained the tackle was an act of revenge after believing Haaland mocked him following a knee injury in an earlier meeting between Manchester United and Leeds United.

Although the challenge is often blamed for ending Haaland’s career, it later emerged that the former Leeds United and Manchester City midfielder had longstanding problems with his left knee. Keane’s tackle struck his right knee.