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Everyone knows that England’s master plan come Saturday’s World Cup quarter-final will revolve around stopping Norwegian striker Erling Haaland.
As they would say in Norway, “Good luck.” Translated: Good luck.
“Has anyone ever stopped Erling Haaland?” asked England midfielder Morgan Rogers, probably only slightly rhetorically. “I’m not sure they have, but we’ll try. You’ll have to try.”
Stopping Haaland – who has seven goals at this year’s World Cup, one behind France’s Kylian Mbappé and Argentina’s Lionel Messi for the most goals at the tournament – will be the primary subplot in the Norway-England clash at the Hard Rock Stadium.
Among the others: Haaland vs. England’s Harry Kane in a striker showdown, a Norwegian team with no pressure vs. an English team with huge expectations, even British Airways vs. Norwegian Air in a twitter battle on social media. At stake for the teams is a place in Wednesday’s semi-finals, where the winner will face either Argentina or Switzerland.
“I think it’s Norway vs. England,” Norway coach Ståle Solbakken said Friday after his team went through its final run-through before perhaps the biggest game in the country’s soccer history. “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.”
When Haaland — who stands nearly 6-foot-5 — gets the ball in his preferred spot, opponents realize it’s almost impossible to stop him. He is too big, too strong, too skilled, and the ball will almost certainly find its way into the net.
England’s Nico O’Reilly – Haaland’s teammate at Manchester City – has seen it happen time and time again. And if there is a solution to the Haaland problem, O’Reilly may have the closest possible answer.
His plan: Don’t let the ball get to him.
“We all know what he’s like,” O’Reilly said. “He can score goals, he’s dangerous in the box, he’s a real threat. They have to get him the ball there first.”
Haaland – who did not play for Norway in its group stage loss to France – has had his goals in droves 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.
He was born in England; his father was playing for Leeds at the time. And Haaland certainly sees the importance.
“It’s a special game, for sure,” Haaland said. “I think for me it’s super special because I’m playing in England and I was born in England and I’m going to play against (Manchester City) teammates and everything.”
It is not only Haaland instead of friends who have become enemies. There are nine players for Norway who play for clubs in England, so of course there will be familiarity between the sides on Saturday.
“Everything is on the line,” O’Reilly said. “Everything is at stake.”
The teams came into Saturday’s game in dramatic fashion, with Norway holding off perennial power and five-time World Cup champions Brazil 2-1 and England going into Mexico City stunning previously unbeaten – and unbeaten – co-hosts Mexico 3-2.
Both sides have acknowledged that it took a little extra time to come down from the highs of such victories.
“We discussed that we have to put the drama and emotions of the Mexico game behind us,” said England striker Bukayo Saka. “Now we have to focus on Norway, which will be another tough challenge, another challenge, and we are fully focused.”
Fully focused, maybe. Fully loaded, that won’t be the case.
There are health concerns over midfielder Declan Rice and defender Marc Guehi, and England will be without defender Jarell Quansah as he begins serving a two-match ban handed down after he was sent off against Mexico in the round of 16.
“I think there are some clear favorites out there. England is one of them,” Haaland said. “So I think you all have to put every (bit) of pressure on the England boys.”
Haaland said it with a smile, and it has been like that the whole tournament. He enjoys it, both on and off the field.
He is a walking, talking meme, someone who attracts lots of attention for everything he does and says. When England great Wayne Rooney said he would row (a nod to Norway’s rowing tradition) down the River Mersey if Norway beat Brazil, those words came to Haaland – who, according to British media reports, has reminded Rooney that he has something to row.
All eyes will be on Haaland. England will have to find a way to solve him or their World Cup run will end in Miami.
“I think that’s the biggest challenge,” Rogers said, “but it’s a challenge that excites this group.”
Report from the Associated Press.
