​Erling Haaland has once again shifted the spotlight away from his own team by pointing the focus at an opponent as Norway prepare to face England in the World Cup Round of 16 in Miami on Saturday at 5 p.m. ET (Fox). England sit No. 4 in the FIFA rankings, while Norway are ranked 19th. The Three Lions reached the quarterfinals in Qatar four years ago and have finished as runners-up in each of the last two European Championships. The Round of 16 clash will present another tough challenge for Haaland and his teammates after Norway eliminated Côte d’Ivoire and Brazil to advance to the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time in the nation’s history.
Haaland, who sits solo second in the Golden Boot race with seven goals, and Martin Ødegaard, tied for third with three assists, have been leading the Norwegian attack. Yet Haaland remains pragmatic about Norway’s prospects, suggesting they still face long odds to lift the trophy on July 19 in New Jersey. “Really low, still,” Haaland said. “I think there are clear favorites out there, England’s one of them. I think all of you [reporters] should put every single pressure on the English lads,” he added with a laugh.
This isn’t the first time Haaland has tried to deflect expectations during this tournament. Before Norway’s group-stage finale against France, he downplayed the importance of the result, saying he didn’t care much about the game since both teams had already qualified for the knockout stage, and he tipped France to win it all. “So I couldn’t care too much about that game now,” Haaland said. “They [France] are probably going to win against us, they’re probably going to win the whole tournament.” France ultimately beat Norway 4-1 as Haaland watched from the sidelines while Ousmane Dembélé struck a hat trick inside the first 32 minutes.
Haaland’s ties to England run deep. He was born in Leeds while his father, Alfie Haaland, was still playing in the Premier League. The family moved to Bryne when he was three, and after nearly a decade in professional football, Haaland now finds himself scoring goals for Manchester City. “It’s a special game, definitely,” Haaland said. “I think for me it’s super special because I play in England and I was born in England, and you also play against teammates and everything. It’s a funny game and it’s going to be nice.”
As England supporters chant “Is it coming home?”, the winner of Saturday’s match will advance to a semifinal in Atlanta on Wednesday to face Lionel Messi and Argentina or Switzerland. England are established regulars in big tournaments, while Norway are at the dawn of what many expect to be a “golden generation.” But the question remains: should England bear the full weight of pressure against a formidable Norwegian side?
“Yeah, definitely,” Haaland affirmed, underscoring that England’s high expectations are well-founded and that his opponents must rise to the moment. With Haaland driving Norway’s attack and England aiming to assert their standing as one of the tournament’s favorites, the Round of 16 showdown promises to be a compelling test of nerve, skill, and strategic ambition for both nations.