​England begin their World Cup campaign on Saturday with a quarter-final clash against Norway. The Three Lions are likely the favorites for the match, but Erling Haaland could pose significant trouble for Gareth Southgate’s side.
Ahead of the fixture, IShowSpeed indicated he would be backing England, a stance that did not sit well with British content creator KSI. Speed has enjoyed access to stream many World Cup matches across North America this summer, and a running online joke has grown up around the streamer being “cursed,” given how often the teams he supports appear to lose their games.
For instance, during Friday’s Spain versus Belgium match, Speed wore a Belgium jersey alongside KSI, only for Belgium to fall 2-1. During that game, Speed addressed the “curse” chatter and hinted that he would throw his support behind England for the upcoming match.
Speed said: “Y’all gonna see tomorrow, bro. Watch this, bro. Y’all wanna keep making these jokes like I’m a curse? Alright, bet. Let’s see. Let’s see if the curse really works. Watch.” KSI replied: “What do you mean? Let’s see if the curse works.” Speed added: “Tomorrow’s stream. Watch this.” KSI then voiced concern about his fellow creator backing England: “No, no, no no. You’re going to do what I think you’re going to do. Na you can’t, that’s not fair. Speed, please; na you can’t. Do not support England. Bro, this might be our World Cup.” Speed responded, “Na y’all good,” to which KSI urged: “Support Norway, that’s the best way to test, that’s the best way to test.”
All of this is clearly in good fun, and there is no real curse, but England supporters would probably prefer Speed to avoid donning an England shirt for their weekend game. The chatter around his allegiance adds a light-hearted subplot to what should be a competitive and high-stakes match.
Outside of the banter, England will be looking to secure a strong performance in front of a packed crowd, with their mix of veteran leadership and emerging talent aiming to advance to the semi-finals. The expected duel with Norway promises to test England’s attacking threat and defensive solidity, especially with Haaland posing a constant threat up front. The squad will need to balance composure, tactical discipline, and clinical finishing if they are to navigate the quarter-final hurdle and keep their title ambitions alive.
As the match approaches, fans and pundits will be watching not only for team strategies and individual matchups but also for the subtle narrative threads—the potential curse debates and whether Speed’s England allegiance will affect his streaming persona on game day. Regardless of the banter, the outcome will hinge on on-pitch performances, managerial decisions, and the ability of England to convert chances while restricting Norway’s dangerous counter-attacks.