3 min readUpdated: Jul 12, 2026 02:48 AM IST
The FIFA World Cup quarter-final between Norway and England is goalless after 15 minutes of action at the Hard Rock Stadium. On a humid day in Miami, there have not been too many clear-cup chances so far in the game that features two of the world’s best strikers — Norway’s Erling Haaland and England’s Harry Kane.
Coming into the game, Haaland had scored seven goals at this year’s World Cup, only one behind France’s Kylian Mbappé and Argentina’s Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot race. One goal behind Haaland is Harry Kane (six goals and an assist before the game against Norway).
“I think it’s Norway vs. England,” Norway coach Ståle Solbakken said on Friday, trying to temper down the hype of a Haaland vs Kane battle. But eventually he conceded: “But I don’t think it’s a secret that Kane is match-leader No. 1 for England and Haaland is match-leader No. 1 for us.”
Haaland — who didn’t play for Norway in its loss to France in the group stage — 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.
Not just Haaland, there are nine Norwegian players who play their club football in England. Haaland was two years after Norway last played in a FIFA World Cup. Can he drag Norway to the semi-final in their first World Cup appearance in 28 years?
Playing XIs for today’s game
Norway XI: Orjan Nyland (goalkeeper); David Moller Wolfe, Torbjorn Heggem, Kristoffer Ajer, Julian Ryerson; Patrick Berg, Sander Berge, Martin Odegaard; Andreas Schjelderup, Erling Haaland, Alexander Sorloth.
England XI: Jordan Pickford (goalkeeper); Nico O’Reilly, Marc Guehi, John Stones, Ezri Konsa; Declan Rice, Elliot Anderson; Anthony Gordon, Jude Bellingham, Noni Madueke; Harry Kane.
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Build-up drama for Norway vs England
The build-up to the Norway vs England game had led to British Airways and Norwegian Air challenging each other on social media, and the militaries of both teams also getting into the act at some point with the Norwegian armed forces releasing a video of the now-viral Viking Row celebration being performed at military bases.
It’s a battle that has attracted superstars like David Beckham and Brazil’s Ronaldo to the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami to witness what promises to be a mouth-watering contest.
How both teams got to the quarters
The teams got to Saturday’s match in dramatic fashions, with Norway holding off perennial power and five-time World Cup champion Brazil 2-1 and England going into Mexico City and stunning previously unbeaten — and unscored-upon — co-host Mexico 3-2.
