The former Leeds United and Manchester City midfielder responded to a post from journalist Fabrizio Romano celebrating Jude Bellingham's tally of six World Cup goals from as many appearances with a three-word reply: "Well done Bellingham and referee."
England eventually won 2-1 after extra time at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, with Bellingham scoring both goals to turn the tie around following Andreas Schjelderup's opener for Norway.
Two refereeing calls shaped the outcome. Broadcast replays suggested Bellingham's first-half leveller followed a passage of play in which the ball may have clipped an overhead camera cable, a moment pundit Mark Clattenburg felt ought to have triggered a VAR check of its own.
Later, with Norway briefly ahead through Torbjorn Heggem's close-range finish, referee Clement Turpin was called to the pitchside monitor and disallowed the goal, judging that Erling Haaland had impeded England's Elliot Anderson in the build-up to the corner.
Norway's frustrations did not end there. Deep into extra time and still searching for an equaliser, head coach Stale Solbakken made the surprise call to remove his talisman altogether, sending on Crystal Palace forward Jorgen Strand Larsen in place of Haaland. The striker had visibly wilted in Miami's punishing humidity, needing treatment from the Norway medical staff before the interval of the additional half hour, and appeared unhappy to be withdrawn with the tie still finely poised.
The result ends Norway's run at their first World Cup since 1998 at the quarter-final stage, while England move on to face the winner of the Argentina-Switzerland tie in the semi-finals.
Erling Haaland managed only a single shot on target in the additional 30 minutes before his withdrawal, a quiet ending to a tournament in which he had scored in every previous appearance. Alfie Haaland's remark, coming so soon after full time, has ensured the debate over Turpin's decisions will run well beyond the final whistle.