Norway’s 2-1 victory over Brazil in the round of 16, delivered by two Erling Haaland goals, has rewritten the nation’s World Cup history and set a quarter-final against England in Miami. The Manchester City forward now has seven goals in the tournament, one behind Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot race, and has scored in each of his last 14 competitive internationals. The result eliminated the five-time champions and confirmed Norway’s first appearance in the last eight, surpassing previous bests from 1938 and 1998.

England reached the same stage after a 3-2 win over Mexico in which Jude Bellingham scored twice and the team played more than half an hour with ten men following Jarell Quansah’s red card. The performance drained the squad, and three defenders — Declan Rice, Marc Guehi and Reece James — missed training this week with hamstring and fatigue issues, while Jordan Henderson is out of the tournament after breaking an arm during post-match celebrations. English analysts note that several of Thomas Tuchel’s defenders have faced Haaland in the Premier League with mixed results: Ezri Konsa kept him quiet in Aston Villa’s 1-0 win, Guehi conceded twice in a 3-0 defeat, and Dan Burn limited his impact in one meeting but saw him assist the winner in another.

Norwegian captain Martin Odegaard, who will face Arsenal teammates Rice, Bukayo Saka and others, has described the match as the biggest test of his side’s campaign and stressed that familiarity cuts both ways. “Many of us play in England, so we know them well,” he said, while coach Stale Solbakken pointed out that England’s top scorers Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham play in Germany and Spain, not the Premier League. German legend Jurgen Klinsmann, writing for FIFA, argued Norway’s strength extends beyond its two stars, citing squad depth reminiscent of Croatia’s 1990s emergence. Norwegian media have framed the fixture as a chance to shed a long-standing inferiority complex toward English football.

England midfielder Morgan Rogers acknowledged the difficulty of stopping Haaland — “Has anyone ever really stopped him?” — and backed Kane to outscore his rival. Guehi, a City teammate of Haaland, said the most practical approach is to cut off his supply and force him deeper. The midfield duel between Odegaard and Rice is expected to shape possession, while Tuchel must decide whether to risk James at right-back or turn to Djed Spence or Konsa. Norway, ranked 19th, are underdogs again but have already eliminated Brazil and carry the confidence of a golden generation.

The winner will face Argentina or Switzerland in the semi-finals in Atlanta. For Norway, a nation of five million, the match represents a chance to extend a run that has already surpassed all expectations; for England, it is a test of whether a squad stretched by injuries and a taxing last-16 battle can contain the tournament’s most prolific striker.