​With the semi-finals within reach, the pressure is at its peak for the World Cup hopefuls left in the tournament. France pressed their advantage, continuing their dominant march toward MetLife Stadium by edging Morocco 2-0, thanks in large part to another strike from Kylian Mbappe. The Real Madrid forward reached a historic milestone, joining a select group as only the second player ever to hit 20 World Cup goals. Mbappe drew level with Lionel Messi on eight goals, keeping the Golden Boot race wide open as Erling Braut Haaland prepares to join the fray.
Haaland has tallied seven goals in his World Cup debut and will be eager to add to that tally when Norway face England in a highly anticipated clash. Norway’s first quarter-final appearance already presents a daunting challenge: they take on the Three Lions, a team they haven’t beaten in a competitive match since a 1-0 friendly loss in 2014. Haaland’s form in the round of 16 was electrifying, including a second-half double that propelled Norway to a 2-1 victory over Brazil in Neymar’s farewell World Cup appearance. That triumph gave the Vikings their first quarter-final berth in a major tournament, and they’ll look to replicate that success despite a history of six straight World Cup knockout losses to UEFA opposition.
England’s progress has not been without drama. Despite playing with a man disadvantage at altitude in the Azteca, they held on for a nerve-wracking 3-2 win over co-host Mexico in the previous knockout round, edging closer to England’s first World Cup title since 1966. Thomas Tuchel will need to shore up the defense if England are to avoid another late scare, though there is cause for optimism: the Three Lions have kept a clean sheet in each of their last four meetings with Norway. The challenge for England is clear, but so is the opportunity, and complacency would be England’s greatest enemy—aside from Haaland, of course. They must be mindful of a stubborn Norway side under Stale Solbakken, who have shown resilience even when history has not favored them; Norway has lost five of its last six World Cup knockout games against European opponents.
While the spotlight will remain on Haaland, England must also account for Harry Kane, who remains a contender for the Golden Boot with six goals, highlighted by a crucial penalty against Mexico. On the other side of the bracket, Argentina delivered a historic comeback as the first team to overturn a two-goal deficit as late as the 78th minute to win in regulation time, stunning Egypt 3-2 in the round of 16. Messi, unfazed by a missed first-half penalty, sparked La Albiceleste’s dramatic rally, assisting Cristian Romero to reduce the deficit before delivering a exquisite equaliser with a half-volley that will be remembered for its precision. Messi’s feats extended his record of goals in World Cup play to at least one in nine consecutive appearances, and his impact helped Argentina extend their unbeaten run to 11 matches, a testament to their enduring potency on the global stage.