Erling Haaland has started the mind games ahead of Norway’s clash with England, who he claims are “clear favourites” to win Saturday’s World Cup quarter-final.
Norway, featuring at the World Cup for the first time since 1998, and England face off in Miami with a place in the last four on the line.
England and Norway have met 12 times prior, with this their first meeting since a 1-0 friendly win for the Three Lions in September 2014.
Overall, Norway have won just two of those 12 matches (D3 L7), failing to score in any of their last four.
Haaland has scored in each of his last 14 competitive outings for Norway (27 goals in total), finding the back of the net in all four of his appearances at the World Cup so far (seven goals total).
The last player to score in each of his first five games at the tournament was Colombia’s James Rodriguez in 2014, while the last European player to do so was Germany’s Gerd Muller in 1970.
However, he sees England as being the big favourites to progress.
“I think everyone should stay humble – but they should be confident of progressing, definitely,” Haaland said of England during a press conference.
“I think there are some clear favourites out there.
“I think England is one of them, so I think every single one of you should put pressure on the English lads!”
1 – Erling Haaland is the only player at the 2026 FIFA World Cup to:
– score with his left foot– score with his right foot– score a header– score from inside the box– score from outside the box
Lethal. pic.twitter.com/rR3a5tvQ4M
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 9, 2026
Opta’s supercomputer is backing Haaland’s prediction, forecasting an England win in regulation time (50.1%). There is a 25.5% chance Norway will win within 90 minutes.
England, though, have been eliminated from five of their last six World Cup knockout-round matches against European opposition and each of their last three in succession. Their latest defeat saw them lose 2-1 to France at the quarter-final stage of the 2022 tournament.
“It’s a special game, definitely,” added Haaland, who was born in England and is one of the stars of the Premier League.
“I think for me, it’s super special because I play in England, and I’m born in England, and you also play against team-mates and everything.
“So it’s a bit, not weird, but it’s a funny game, and it’s going to be nice.”
England came through their frantic last-16 tie with Mexico City battered and bruised, and the Three Lions discovered on Thursday that Jarell Quansah, who was sent off in that match, has received a two-game ban.
Dan Burn came on from the bench to help England see off Mexico, making a joint-game-high six clearances despite only playing 26 minutes.
And the Newcastle United man is relishing going up against Haaland.
He said: “I do enjoy playing against Erling purely just from a physical point of view.
“I quite like that sort of physical battle, and I get on well with him on the pitch. We do get on quite well, although you’d have to ask him if he thinks the same thing.
“If I’m asked to do that, I’ll be more than ready and more than happy to do that.
“But obviously I also know that we’ve got sort of four other centre halves here who are also top-quality players and have played this whole tournament because of that too.”
