Manager Erling Haaland has called on England players and fans to “remain humble” ahead of this weekend’s World Cup quarter-finals. Haaland and his Norwegian team-mates will be hoping to break England’s hearts when they meet in Miami in a last-eight tie for a place in the World Cup semi-finals.
Norway have never been on this stage at a World Cup before, and Haaland has already been part of a team that made history this summer. Manchester City’s marksman has scored seven goals in five games and is favorite to win the Golden Boot award, which is given to the top scorer.
When asked by Sky Sports about the upcoming contest, Haaland said: “I think everyone should stay humble, but definitely confident in progressing. It’s England!”
But he added: “It’s a special game (against England). It’s very special for me because I play in England and I was born in England. I want to play against my teammates and everything else, so it’s a bit, not strange, I don’t know the name in English, but it’s an interesting game.”
Haaland himself was something of a sensation during his time at the World Cup, and the striker’s following has skyrocketed since arriving in the United States. Regarding his growing fan base in America, Haaland said:
“They’re interesting. I like the way they do it! To be honest, everything about the World Cup so far has been great. From the matches to the stadium to the training ground, everything has been great. It’s been impressive!”
Stopping Haaland is likely to be key for England in their bid to reach the semi-finals, and Aston Villa ace Morgan Rodgers was full of praise for the 26-year-old when asked about their upcoming encounter. When asked how he could stop Haaland, he replied: “Has anyone stopped Erling Haaland? I don’t know if they have, but we have to try. I think he’s a really unbelievable player, you’re just in awe of what he does, the numbers he puts up, how good he is and the level he is at.”
“But it’s not just him. They have other good players and we play against them regularly in the Premier League, so we have to be careful. They’re a really good team. I think that’s their biggest super strength. As a team, as a unit, they’re very strong.”
England play Norway in Miami on Saturday night at 10pm UK time. If they win this match, they will advance to the semi-finals and face either Argentina or Switzerland.
