{"id":337108,"date":"2026-07-11T18:15:14","date_gmt":"2026-07-11T18:15:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/337108\/"},"modified":"2026-07-11T18:15:14","modified_gmt":"2026-07-11T18:15:14","slug":"world-cup-its-england-against-norway-in-the-quarterfinals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/337108\/","title":{"rendered":"World Cup: It’s England against Norway in the quarterfinals"},"content":{"rendered":"

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. \u2014 Everyone knows that England\u2019s master plan coming into its World Cup<\/a> quarterfinal Saturday will revolve around stopping Norway striker Erling Haaland.<\/p>\n

As they would say in Norway, \u201cLykke til.\u201d Translated: Good luck.<\/p>\n

\u201cHas anyone ever stopped Erling Haaland?\u201d England midfielder Morgan Rogers asked, probably only somewhat rhetorically. \u201cI\u2019m not sure they have, but we\u2019re going to try. You\u2019re going to have to try.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stopping Haaland \u2014 who has seven goals in this World Cup, one behind France\u2019s Kylian Mbapp\u00e9 and Argentina\u2019s Lionel Messi for the most in the tournament \u2014 will be the primary subplot of the Norway-England match at Hard Rock Stadium.<\/p>\n

\"England'sEngland’s Harry Kane walks to World Cup training Wednesday, July 8, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (Charlie Riedel\/AP)<\/p>\n

Among the others: Haaland versus England\u2019s Harry Kane in a striker showdown, a Norway team with no pressure versus an England team with enormous expectations, even British Airways<\/a> versus Norwegian Air<\/a> in a social media chirping battle. At stake for the teams is a berth in Wednesday\u2019s semifinals, with the winner to face either Argentina or Switzerland.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s Norway vs. England,\u201d Norway coach St\u00e5le Solbakken said Friday after his team went through its final walk-through before perhaps the biggest match in the nation\u2019s soccer history. \u201cBut I don\u2019t think it\u2019s a secret that Kane is match-leader No. 1 for England and Haaland is match-leader No. 1 for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Indeed, there are two elite strikers in this game \u2014 not just one. England coach Thomas Tuchel raved about Kane on Friday, and rightly so. Kane has six goals so far in this year\u2019s World Cup.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s in the shape of his life and in the highest peak of his career,\u201d Tuchel said.<\/p>\n

When Haaland \u2014 who stands nearly 6-foot-5 \u2014 gets the ball in his preferred spots, opponents realize that stopping him is almost out of the question. He\u2019s too big, too strong and too skilled, and the ball is almost certainly going to find its way into the back of the net.<\/p>\n

England\u2019s Nico O\u2019Reilly \u2014 Haaland\u2019s teammate at Manchester City \u2014 has seen it happen time and again. And if there is a solution to the Haaland problem, O\u2019Reilly might have the closest possible thing to an answer.<\/p>\n

\"Norway'sNorway’s Erling Haaland celebrates with Andreas Schjelderup (21) after scoring his team’s second goal during a World Cup match against Brazil on July 5, 2026, in East Rutherford, N.J. (Pamela Smith\/AP)<\/p>\n

His plan: Don\u2019t let the ball get to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe all know what he\u2019s like,\u201d O\u2019Reilly said. \u201cHe can score goals, he\u2019s dangerous in the box, he\u2019s a real threat. They need to get him the ball there first.\u201d<\/p>\n

Haaland \u2014 who didn\u2019t play for Norway in its loss to France in the group stage \u2014 has gotten his goals in bunches in this tournament. Against Iraq, his two goals came 14 minutes apart. Against Senegal, his two goals were 10 minutes apart. Against Brazil, his two goals were 11 minutes apart.<\/p>\n

He was born in England; his father was playing for Leeds at that time. And Haaland certainly sees the significance.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a special game, definitely,\u201d Haaland said. \u201cI think, for me, it\u2019s super special because I play in England and I\u2019m born in England and I\u2019ll be playing against (Manchester City) teammates and everything.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not just Haaland in that friends-turned-foes spot. There are nine players for Norway who play for clubs in England, so there will obviously be familiarity between the sides Saturday.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything is on the line,\u201d O\u2019Reilly said. \u201cEverything is at stake.\u201d<\/p>\n

The teams got to Saturday\u2019s match in dramatic fashions, with Norway holding off perennial power and five-time World Cup champion Brazil 2-1<\/a> and England going into Mexico City and stunning previously unbeaten \u2014 and unscored-upon \u2014 co-host Mexico 3-2<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Both sides have acknowledged that coming down from the high of such wins took a little extra time.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe discussed that we need to put the drama and the emotions of the Mexico game behind us,\u201d England forward Bukayo Saka said. \u201cNow we need to focus on Norway, which is going to be another tough challenge, a different challenge, and we\u2019re fully focused.\u201d<\/p>\n

They might be close to fully loaded too.<\/p>\n

Declan Rice, Marc Guehi and Reece James, all sidelined in recent days, trained Friday and Tuchel said he anticipates having a \u201cfull choice\u201d awaiting him when the lineup for Saturday gets decided. England will be without defender Jarell Quansah as he begins serving his two-match suspension that was handed down after he got red-carded against Mexico in the round of 16.<\/p>\n

Rice, Guehi and James all went through training Friday at Inter Miami\u2019s facility, with team co-owner David Beckham \u2014 a former England great \u2014 watching.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think there\u2019s some clear favorites out there. England\u2019s one of them,\u201d Haaland said. \u201cSo, I think all of you should put every single (bit of) pressure on the English lads.\u201d<\/p>\n

Haaland said that with a smile, and that has been the case all tournament long. He has enjoying this, on the field and off.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s a walking, talking meme, someone who draws tons of attention for everything he does and says. When English great Wayne Rooney said he\u2019d row ( a nod to Norway\u2019s rowing tradition<\/a> ) down the River Mersey if Norway beat Brazil, those words got to Haaland \u2014 who, according to reports in British media, has reminded Rooney that he has some rowing to do.<\/p>\n

All eyes will be on Haaland. England will have to figure out a way to solve him, or else its World Cup run will end Saturday.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the biggest challenge,\u201d Rogers said, \u201cbut it\u2019s a challenge that excites this group.\u201d<\/p>\n

AP reporter Writer Alanis Thames in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., contributed.<\/p>\n

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