Andreas Schjelderup had given Norway a first-half lead before Jude Bellingham's brace, either side of extra time, sent England through. Norway also had a second-half goal ruled out after Erling Haaland was judged to have fouled Elliot Anderson before a corner, while questions were raised over whether the ball had struck an overhead camera cable before Bellingham's first goal.
Solbakken reflected on margins that had previously favoured his team against Brazil.
"I feel sorry for the lads. This is top level sports at it's best or it's most gruesome," he said. "We were lucky against Brazil, today we were not so lucky. We had margins go on our favour against Brazil, but not today.
"Sometimes you're lucky. We were lucky against Brazil. Today we were not. The margins were not in our favour, but that's life."
Asked about Haaland's foul and the disallowed goal, Solbakken chose not to dwell on the officiating.
"These things happen. We just want to wish England the best of luck," he said.
Haaland struck a reflective note despite the defeat, focusing on what the run had meant back home.
"We are touched by the fact we have done so well and it's brought people together in Norway. There is a lot of positivity in the joy we have had in our country and here as well," he said. "It's difficult to think over things right now. It's quite an insane event. You really do have to experience this. That has been my goal.
"I would like to put Norway on the map and establish us as one of the best teams in the world. I think we have sold Norway on the map here."
Martin Odegaard felt Norway had done enough to warrant a different outcome, pointing to costly moments after containing England for long periods.
"It's difficult. I feel that we were so close. We did what we could, maybe we were in a low block in the first half but they didn't do anything and we got ahead. Then we conceded two easy goals and didn't get much help from the referee. The margins went against us and we had a bit of bad luck," he said. "But it's been fantastic, it's been a fairytale. We can be proud of ourselves. The whole world is talking about us, a quarter-final in the World Cup is a huge achievement. Now we have a taste of it."
On the camera cable incident before Bellingham's opener, Odegaard admitted he had not seen it.
"I didn't see it myself. Margins were not in our favour today with some of the decisions. Maybe you need that in games like this," he said.
He gave a similarly measured response on the disallowed goal.
"I haven't seen it. Margins were not in our favour," he said.