Alf-Inge Haaland has reignited his long-running feud with Roy Keane after responding to the former Manchester United captain’s latest comments following Norway’s World Cup exit.
The father of Manchester City striker Erling Haaland hit back on social media after Keane questioned his criticism of the officiating during England’s quarter-final victory.
Norway’s hopes of reaching the World Cup semi-finals ended after defeat to Thomas Tuchel’s side, with controversy surrounding a disallowed goal following a VAR intervention.
French referee Clement Turpin ruled out what would have been Norway’s second goal after Erling Haaland was deemed to have fouled Elliot Anderson in the build-up.
England later proceeded to win via a brilliant double from Jude Bellingham.
Following the match, Alf-Inge suggested the officials had played a decisive role in the result.
He posted a message on X congratulating “Bellingham and the referee” before claiming Norway had been robbed, although the post was later deleted.
The remarks prompted a response from Keane during an appearance on Stick to Football.
The ex-Republic of Ireland international suggested Alf-Inge’s assessment of the match may have been influenced by alcohol.
“He always seems to be drinking alcohol at the matches,” Keane said.
“If you’re having a drink then you’re seeing the game differently.”
Those comments quickly spread across social media, where they eventually reached Alf-Inge himself.
The former Leeds United and Manchester City midfielder responded beneath one widely shared post, writing: “Once a p***k always a p***k.”
The exchange is the latest chapter in one of football’s longest-running personal rivalries.
Relations between the pair deteriorated in 1997 when Keane suffered a serious knee injury during a challenge involving Alf-Inge, who appeared to question the severity of the incident on the pitch.
The feud intensified four years later when Keane was sent off for a high tackle on the Norwegian during a Manchester derby, an incident the former United captain later admitted had been driven by revenge.
Despite the latest insults, Keane insisted Norway had little reason to blame the officials for their elimination.
“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,” he said.
“Families and fans after games, we saw the interviews with the England manager, Bellingham, family members, they’re all a bit emotional so you try and give them the benefit of the doubt.
“But when people wake up tomorrow morning, you won’t be sitting there going, ‘The referee’s cost us’. You can’t. You can argue a couple of decisions but you can’t say, ‘He’s cost us’. No.”
Gary Neville also backed the officials, while Ian Wright suggested Alf-Inge’s original social media post was an emotional reaction to Norway’s defeat.
England, meanwhile, face Argentina in the semi-finals of the tournament on Wednesday (8pm).
