England’s backline will naturally focus its energy on stopping Erling Haaland, but they must not forget about Antonio Nusa. The direct and purposeful RB Leipzig winger who scored the stunning curler to beat the Ivory Coast in the round of 32 in Dallas could be coming to a Premier League club near you.
Injuries are the only thing that has prevented the former Club Brugge prodigy from fulfilling his potential so far, particularly the underlying back problem that ruled him out of a move to Brentford in January 2024.
Tottenham had been eyeing a move for the 21-year-old during the same transfer window, but he showed so much maturity that they opted to sign for the Bees instead, but the £25m deal ultimately fell through due to lower back injuries and loose cartilage in his knee, which was noted during a medical examination. Nusa hasn’t let the setback define him, even though his back issues are still not completely gone.
Thankfully for Norway, he won’t have to carry the weight of his country at this World Cup thanks to Haaland, a relentless centre-forward. Leipzig’s attackers are Staale Solbakken’s main wide outlet, and Norway will look to get the ball into Nusa’s feet at every opportunity.
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The fact that Nusa, who retired at halftime in the 2-0 win against Brazil in New Jersey, ended up having the same number of touches as two-goal star Haaland (30) is eloquent. Norway’s game is effectively centered around providing chances for the Manchester City phenomenon in and around the box.
Captain Martin Odegaard has top-class technical ability, while Alexander Sorloth, Oskar Bobb and Andreas Schjelderup can also cause problems in the final third. However, only Liverpool target and Leipzig teammate Yann Diomande, valued at £111m (about €130m), averaged more shots than Nusa’s 6.5 shots per 90 minutes in the entire Bundesliga last season.
Almost every time he loses the ball, his first thought is whether to drive to the byline and cross, or cut inside and shoot towards goal. He can move both inside and outside, which could potentially be a problem for England as right-back has been a problem position for the Three Lions in this competition.
Norway beat Ivory Coast with a goal from Antonio Nusa (Image: Michael Regan – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
England have championed the term “pounding the rock” throughout the World Cup, the concept of starting players eventually wearing down opposition players and crushing them before finishing the job halfway through. Norway’s attackers have also adopted that mindset, with 22-year-old Benfica star Kjelderup contributing two assists off the bench against Brazil and benefiting from Nusa’s tenacity.
Reece James is looking to make a comeback in Miami after recently injuring his hamstring, but is unlikely to be in optimal fitness, something that will excite both Norwegian left-wingers. Manager Thomas Tuchel could therefore opt for either Ezri Konsa or Jed Spence in Jarrell Quansah’s absence.
Reece James hopes to return to England squad against Norway (Image: Ulrik Pedersen/NurPhoto)
Even if James wins the race against time, twisting and turning to match the Nusa jockey’s driving runs is certainly one way to test the elasticity of his hamstrings. The former modeled his game around Neymar, and claimed before the World Cup that he not only wanted to play against his idol, but also to beat Neymar.
He did just that last weekend and all eyes will now be on upending the odds against England. Before the tournament, Nusa published a children’s book called “It All Starts with a Dream.”
Inside, he documents his story, recalling the long and winding journey to the World Cup while offering guidance and expert advice on how to deal with setbacks. In just two months, he has already sold 21,000 copies. A win against England could double that figure in just a few weeks.
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