Erling Haaland – Norway Prepare for England After Brazil World Cup Upset
Erling Haaland – Norway striker Erling Haaland has shared a look at his team’s preparations ahead of Saturday’s FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-final against England. The forward posted several training images on X, accompanied by the caption: “Quarter-final prep,” as Norway build towards one of the biggest matches in the country’s football history.
Haaland leads Norway’s World Cup charge
Haaland enters the England match in exceptional form after scoring twice in Norway’s 2-1 Round of 16 victory over Brazil. The result sent the five-time world champions out of the tournament and secured Norway a place in the last eight.
The Manchester City forward now has seven goals at the 2026 World Cup. His tally matches the number scored by Poland’s Grzegorz Lato during his first World Cup appearance in 1974, placing Haaland among the most productive debutants in the competition’s history.
Norway’s win over Brazil is being viewed as one of the defining results of the tournament. Haaland’s two goals gave his side the edge in a closely contested contest and helped the Scandinavian team reach the quarter-finals for a meeting with England.
Remarkable efficiency in front of goal
Haaland’s impact has come not only through the number of goals but also through his finishing rate. He has scored once every 14 touches during the tournament, the best ratio among players with at least three goals in a World Cup over the past six decades.
The 25-year-old has found the net seven times from 18 attempts, producing a conversion rate of around 39 per cent. That is the strongest return by a player taking at least 15 shots in a single World Cup since England striker Gary Lineker scored six goals from 15 efforts at the 1986 tournament.
Norway will be hoping Haaland can maintain that level when they face an England side that has also shown resilience in the knockout stages. His movement in the penalty area and ability to make the most of limited opportunities have been central to Norway’s progress.
England arrive after dramatic Mexico victory
England reached the quarter-finals following a tense 3-2 victory over Mexico at the Azteca Stadium. Jude Bellingham scored twice as the Three Lions held on despite being reduced to 10 players during the match.
The result was one of England’s most notable victories away from home in recent years and has added further significance to the upcoming contest. England will now face a Norway team carrying confidence after eliminating Brazil, while also relying on a striker who has been among the tournament’s standout performers.
Both teams have produced important moments on their route to the last eight. England have shown they can manage pressure in difficult conditions, while Norway have demonstrated that they can compete with established football powers.
Past meetings offer Norway encouragement
Recent history offers Norway a slight advantage ahead of the quarter-final. England have won only two of their previous seven meetings with Norway, a record that gives the Nordic side reason to believe they can produce another major result.
One of the most remembered fixtures between the teams came in 1981, when Norway beat England 2-1 in a World Cup qualifying match. Although the current squads and circumstances are very different, that result remains part of the wider history between the two nations.
Saturday’s quarter-final will test Norway’s ability to build on their Brazil victory and England’s capacity to recover from a physically demanding match in Mexico. With Haaland in prolific form and Bellingham leading England’s attacking threat, the contest is expected to be one of the key fixtures of the World Cup knockout stage.