Norway’s Haaland says pressure is on England ahead of World Cup quarter-final
10.07.2026
Norway striker Erling Haaland has stated that the pressure is firmly on England as the two nations prepare to face each other in a World Cup quarter-final. Haaland, who plays for Manchester City, encouraged journalists to place as much pressure as possible on Thomas Tuchel‘s side.
Norway is participating in the World Cup for the first time since 1998 and has now reached the final eight. Their journey to this stage included finishing second in Group I and then securing victories against Ivory Coast and Brazil in the knockout rounds. In contrast, England has consistently reached at least the quarter-finals in the last three men’s World Cups, though they have not reached the final since their victory in 1966.
When questioned about whether the pressure rests solely on England, Haaland affirmed, “Yes, definitely. I think there’s some clear favourites out there, England’s one of them.” He further added, “I think all of you should put every single pressure on the English lads. Yeah, they [England fans] should be confident of progressing, definitely. It’s England.”
Haaland, at 25 years old, has maintained a scoring streak, finding the net in each of his last 14 competitive matches for Norway. He was born in Leeds during the period his father, Alf-Inge, transferred from Leeds United to Manchester City. This upcoming match holds a special significance for him due to his connection to England and English football.
“It’s a special game, definitely,” Haaland remarked. “I think for me it’s super special because I play in England and I’m born in England and you also play against team-mates and everything. So it’s a bit, not weird, but it’s a funny game and it’s going to be nice.”
Last year, when featured on the cover of Time magazine, Haaland had suggested Norway had a 0.5% chance of winning the World Cup. However, his performance, including seven goals in four appearances and a double against Brazil in the last 16, has been instrumental in Norway reaching the quarter-finals.
“I didn’t expect it. To be honest, to be in the quarter-finals with Norway in the World Cup is quite surprising even for me,” he admitted. “Playing against Brazil was kind of crazy for us Norwegians and to win against Brazil and then go and play England in the quarter-finals in the World Cup in the USA is quite special.”
Haaland also noted the unusual nature of this achievement for Norway. “I think if you watch the scenes back in Norway, this is not normal for Norway to be, so it’s super special.”
His popularity in the US has grown during the tournament, attributed to both his on-field performance and his personality. After scoring the winning goal against Ivory Coast in the last 32, Haaland was seen shopping for cowboy hats and boots in Dallas, a trip he documented on his YouTube channel, garnering over six million views in five days.
“It’s a good thing because I like the Americans, I think they are kind of hilarious as well. They are funny, so I like the way they are,” he commented. “I think it’s just good. Honestly on every single thing with the World Cup so far here it has been amazing. From the games to the stadiums, everything has been amazing.”
Other videos show him at the Stanley Cup final in North Carolina and leading his teammates in a ‘Viking row’ celebration after defeating Brazil. “I like to joke a little bit and I like to have fun,” he said. “I think that’s a key to for my daily life to joke around and of course train good, of course focus well and prepare well but you also need to joke around and you need to enjoy the moment.”
“That’s what we’ve been doing now and just as we play in the World Cup, we have to enjoy it because nothing lasts forever. We have to just enjoy while we’re here.”
Haaland‘s Manchester City teammate, Nico O’Reilly, who is likely to start as left-back for England in the quarter-final, responded to Haaland‘s comments about England being favourites. “Could be mind games,” O’Reilly suggested. “But look, they’re a good team as well. They have shown it through the whole tournament. It’s not just certain players we have to worry about – they’re good collectively. It’s going to be a good game and good battle.”
O’Reilly acknowledged Haaland‘s scoring prowess, noting, “Erling is Erling. We all know what he is like. He can score goals and is dangerous in the box. He is a real threat. They need to get him the ball. A lot goes into it.”
England assistant Anthony Barry echoed these sentiments, emphasizing that Norway is not solely reliant on one player. “They’re excellent at set-pieces, they have other threats, the frontline is full of threats, playing in some of the biggest teams in Europe,” Barry stated. He highlighted that players like Odegaard, a Premier League winner and captain, contribute significantly to the team.
“They’ve beaten some good teams to arrive where they are. It’s no shock and there’s no fluke at this stage of the tournament – whoever’s in the last eight with us deserves it, and they have our full respect. We’re prepared for the game. As I said, focus on Norway, and it’s step one of three,” Barry concluded.
The upcoming quarter-final evokes memories of a historic match on 9 September 1981, when Norway defeated England 2-1 in a World Cup qualifier. The iconic Norwegian radio commentator, Bjørge Lillelien, delivered a memorable and passionate commentary after this victory, declaring, “We have beaten England! England, the birthplace of giants!” He famously switched to English to proclaim, “As they say in the boxing bars around Madison Square Garden in New York: your boys took a hell of a beating! Your boys took a hell of a beating!”
At that time, Norway had not participated in a major tournament since the 1938 Olympics, making the win against England particularly significant. Øyvind Alsaker, who will commentate on Saturday’s quarter-final for Norwegian broadcaster TV2, reflected on the unreality of Norway‘s current success. “When I look at what I’ve experienced with the Norwegian national team over the last 25 years, it feels unreal that this is happening. I was thinking that reaching the round of 16 was just fantastic. And now we are playing for being one of the top four teams at a World Cup. It’s wild.”
For many Norwegians, England and English football have held a special place, with the public broadcaster NRK showing live matches from the English first division since November 1969. This exposure led to generations of Norwegians developing strong attachments to English clubs and players. Alsaker noted, “We now have three generations of Norwegians who have received English football intravenously.”
The quarter-final match is scheduled for Saturday.
Read Also
Source: bbc.com
Ishaan Kapoor
Sports correspondent covering cricket, football and international competitions.