Related videos:
Norway and England will face each other this Saturday at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens in one of the most exciting quarter-finals of the . The match features two of the deadliest forwards in the tournament: Erling Haaland and Harry Kane.
Norway reaches this stage, marking the greatest milestone in its World Cup history. The Vikings have never before reached the quarter-finals of a World Cup, and they did so in the most decisive manner possible: eliminating Brazil with a score of 2-1 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Haaland was the architect of that victory with a double in the 79th and 90th minutes, both goals assisted by Andreas Schjelderup. The goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland was also crucial, saving a penalty from Bruno Guimarães.
With those notes, the Manchester City forward has amassed seven goals in the tournament and is one behind the leaders Messi and Mbappé, who are tied with eight goals each in the race for the Golden Boot.
Martin Ødegaard serves as the captain of the team managed by Ståle Solbakken, which arrives at the match with an increasingly solid defense and the confidence of having knocked out one of the tournament’s top favorites.
England, for its part, overcame a test of extreme character against Mexico at the Estadio Azteca, located 2,200 meters above sea level and with a hostile atmosphere, winning 3-2 despite playing more than thirty minutes with ten men after Jarell Quansah's dismissal in the 54th minute.
Jude Bellingham scored a double in just 98 seconds —in minutes 36 and 38— the third fastest in World Cup history. Kane added the third goal from the penalty spot in the 60th minute, and the Three Lions held on after Raúl Jiménez's late goal to finish the match at 3-2.
The English captain described that night as "one of the greatest victories in the history of England" given the adverse circumstances. Kane arrives at the match with six goals and one assist, ranked fourth in the scoring table, and eager to climb higher.
Before the match, Kane himself spared no praise for his rival: he described Haaland as "a beast" for his physical strength and goal-scoring ability.
Norway also made headlines off the field during the week: the team filed a formal complaint with FIFA regarding the conditions of their hotel in Fort Lauderdale and ended up relocating to accommodation closer to the stadium in Miami.
The winner of this match will advance to the semifinals, where they will face the victor of the clash between Argentina and Switzerland, also scheduled for this Saturday at 9:00 PM Cuba time at Arrowhead Stadium.
On the other side of the bracket, France and Spain have already secured their spots in the semifinals and will face each other on Tuesday, July 14, which means the world champion will come from one of these four teams.
Filed under: