Haaland puts pressure on England ahead of Norway quarter-final

Erling Haaland says England are the favourites for their World Cup quarter-final and that the pressure is firmly on Thomas Tuchel’s side. The Norway striker, smiling throughout his media duties, even urged journalists to pile more pressure on the English team before Saturday’s meeting in Miami.

Norway’s run has already been historic. They have reached the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time after finishing second in their group and then beating Ivory Coast and Brazil in the knockout rounds. For a nation that had not reached the tournament since 1998, the achievement has already exceeded expectations.

Haaland, though, is not behaving like someone overawed by the occasion. He described the last few weeks as “super special” and said it was hard to take in how far Norway have come. He also said he had not expected to be in the last eight with his country, particularly after eliminating Brazil in the last 16.

The striker’s own form has been central to Norway’s surge. He has scored in each of his past 14 competitive games for the national team and has seven goals in four World Cup appearances so far. His double against Brazil was especially important, and his ability to turn matches almost single-handedly remains the biggest reason Norway are still alive.

Haaland has also become a broader talking point at the tournament because of his personality off the pitch. His shopping trip for cowboy hats and boots in Dallas, his YouTube clips and his easy manner with fans have helped make him one of the World Cup’s most visible stars. He says he likes to joke around, enjoy the moment and keep football fun, even while staying focused on performance.

England, of course, are not taking him lightly. Left-back Nico O’Reilly, who knows Haaland well from Manchester City, described the remarks about pressure as possibly mind games. He also made clear that England respect Norway as a strong collective side, not just a team built around one player.

That view was echoed by England assistant Anthony Barry, who pointed to Norway’s set-piece strength, attacking threats and the experience in their frontline. He said Norway had beaten good teams to get this far and deserved their place in the last eight.

For all the talk around Haaland’s words, the match itself still looks finely balanced. Norway may be the underdogs on paper, but they arrive with belief, momentum and the game’s most ruthless finisher. England may carry the label of favourites, but Haaland has made sure the pressure is now part of their story.