Why Norway can beat England in the World Cup quarter-finals - and it

Why Norway can beat England in the quarter-finals of the World Cup – and it

According to News.

Background

Norway fought their way into the quarter-finals with a strong team performance and the individual skills of Haaland and Ødegaard. While Haaland is considered one of the best strikers in the world, Ødegaard has the potential to play crucial passes and create chances as a creative playmaker. This dynamic could make the difference in the game against England.

Why this is important

Norway experienced a historic moment by reaching the quarter-finals of the World Cup, which elevated the football nation onto the international stage. The combination of Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard could be crucial to defeat England as both players are capable of influencing the game and putting pressure on the opposition defense. England's injury problems, particularly to key players such as Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka, could also have a negative impact on their performance.

Key findings

• Why Norway can beat England in the quarter-finals of the World Cup – and it.
• Norway's first appearance in the quarter-finals of the World Cup brings them against England, with Haaland and Odegaard leading a cohesive team that can better cope with the pressure of expectations.
• Erling Haaland remains central to Norway's plans.

The Athletic offers live coverage of the Norway vs England match in the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Norway have reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup for the first time and appear unwilling to stop there. Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard are the standout names whose performances have brought Norway this far, but there is much more for Thomas Tuchel and England to worry about if they want to progress to the semi-finals. From fitness to star quality to pressure and expectations - and of course Haaland - we asked our writers why they think Norway can beat England on Saturday. Thomas Tuchel is known for demanding England play like a Premier League club at this World Cup, but his most trusted players appear exhausted by a grueling 2025-26 season. Declan Rice is struggling with neuralgic pain in his thigh muscles. Elliot Anderson has fought tooth and nail to keep Nottingham Forest in the league. Bukayo Saka is suffering from an Achilles tendon problem that is robbing him of his explosive ability. England's team has a great coach and can build on positive momentum after knockout wins against DR Congo and Mexico, but in both games England's approach to opposition seemed uninspired and inconsistent. Both opponents found it easy to get the ball against England d to move. Both teams created dangerous chances that Haaland would have used with his efficiency. England's defensive line looks shaky; Ezri Konsa had a good season at Aston Villa, but was a touch too slow in his reactions to danger at this tournament. For all of Marc Guehi's abilities, he isn't particularly strong in the air, and John Stones' competitive sharpness remains an unknown factor. Man for man, England have the better team and also have greater depth in the squad. But Norway has a 1.95 m tall footballing cyborg at the top. Someone who can turn a lost ball into half a chance and half a chance into a goal. Haaland has already scored seven goals in this tournament. If he scores his eighth goal early in the game, England will have a huge problem. The psychological starting point for this game is completely different for England than the one against Mexico. Tuchel's side not only face the challenge of beating Haaland and Co., they also have to deal with the enormous pressure caused by increased expectations. This is similar to the initial situation after the first group game against Croatia. Do we remember how euphorically all the English fans celebrated after the 4-2 win? Suddenly England were seen as a team that could beat anyone, but in the following three games they were against teams they should have beaten n had to, they found it incredibly difficult. Against Ghana, Panama and DR Congo, these teams deliberately positioned themselves to be difficult to beat, exposing England's lack of creativity. Norway will have been watching it all closely, except they have one of the best strikers in the world who can punish Tuchel's unconvincing defense. To be honest, I'm tipping England to win, but... Norway's team has proven to be extremely dangerous. In any given game, even against five-time world champions Brazil, Norway can field the best player on the pitch - and that is usually Erling Haaland. Haaland, along with Ødegaard and Antonio Nusa, is part of an attack that creates endless chances. The team scored a total of twelve goals in five games. As a debutant in the quarter-finals of the World Cup, Norway seems to have nothing to lose and plays with joy and team spirit. Not only are Norway strong in possession and technically adept, as Ødegaard demonstrated against Brazil when he drove Neymar to despair, but the team also has physically impressive players in all parts of the team. Their goalkeeper, Ørjan Nyland, is playing above his performance level. One question I have about this Norwegian team is about the depth of the squad. In the last group game against France, which was lost 4-1, a B team played that was not in Ni veau of the first selection was. This could be an advantage for England because they were able to use their substitutes effectively against Mexico. Norway has every reason to believe they can win this game. After the sensational win against Brazil in the round of 16, when Haaland led the team to the quarter-finals, everyone in the country is now dreaming of this game and trusting their team that they can beat England too. This duel has a bit of the feel of a duel between two English clubs. The England defenders know Haaland from the many duels in the league, Ødegaard will love the midfield duels with the English players, and the English players like Guehi, Konsa, Rice and Bellingham also have to be aware of the physical superiority of their Norwegian counterparts. England also need to be careful not to receive too many yellow cards. After the group phase, the yellow cards will no longer be canceled, except in the event of the semi-finals. But any player who receives a yellow card in the quarterfinals would be banned in the semifinals. Bellingham, Rice, Guehi and Nico O’Reilly are all in that danger zone. Jarell Quansah is suspended after his red card against Mexico. Norway deserve their place in the quarter-finals and should not be underestimated by England. So far they have played well-balanced and fearless and have also brought a team onto the pitch that is firmly committed mmenhalts. The first criterion to consider will be fitness. While Tuchel fielded the best-suited eleven for all five games, Norway won their first two group games and qualified early for the knockout rounds. In the last group game, a completely different team was fielded, which lost to France - the result was secondary for Norway. It was important that the first eleven was fresh and fit again for the knockout games against Ivory Coast and Brazil. Interestingly, the team scored three of their four goals after the 75th minute in both games. This shows that the players in the first eleven are fit and don't mind catching up sometimes. Not much more needs to be said about Haaland. He has scored over half of Norway's goals in the tournament, including three of their four goals in the knockout games. But this team doesn't just consist of its figurehead. What sets Norway's team apart is the fact that they are very well-coordinated as a team. Individually, hardly any player on the Norwegian team has a high market value, but collectively it works brilliantly. This is particularly evident in the midfield. The English midfield line with Rice, Anderson and Bellingham has a strong profile and a high market value, but they have not yet been able to act as a unit. The Norwegian midfield line with Ødegaard, Sander Berge and Pa trick Berg, on the other hand, acts like a well-rehearsed trio that blames each other for their strengths and weaknesses. This is often referred to as the ‘shadow game’ in football. Against defenses that are much stronger than England's, Haaland is repeatedly put into position so that he can finish. England should be careful. It's going to be exciting!

What happens next

In the upcoming quarter-finals, Norway will look to capitalize on the momentum gained from their previous performances. England, on the other hand, must quickly focus on their fitness issues and find a coherent style of play to survive against the Norwegian attack, led by Haaland and Ødegaard. The outcome of this game could be crucial to both teams' predictions for the season, particularly England's ambitions to win the title.

Frequently asked questions

What is the result of the game between Norway and England in the quarter-finals of the World Cup?

The result of the game is not yet known as live coverage of the game is being offered.

How does the game affect the table or the standings of the World Cup?

The game has an impact on the course of the tournament as the winner advances to the semi-finals.

When does the game between Norway and England take place?

The game takes place on Saturday.

Which players are crucial for Norway's success against England ?

Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard are the standout players who took Norway to the quarter-finals.

How did England perform in the previous games?

England won in the knockout rounds against DR Congo and Mexico, but their play seemed uninspired and inconsistent.

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