SANDWICH, MASSACHUSETTS – If there was some doubt as to whether England were favourites in Mexico City, they cannot ignore or avoid that tag in Miami. The draw has opened up for England in a way that would make even Gareth Southgate blush: DR Congo, Mexico and Norway for a place in a World Cup semi-final. None of those are currently ranked in the top 18 in the world.
Yet if Mexico was a test of England’s steel and ability to cope in adversity and atmospheric pressure, Norway is a step up in quality. Like England, there is a sense of incremental improvement as they move through the knockout rounds. We analyse six reasons for Norway to be confident of causing a second upset on the spin.
Haaland is quite good
I’m not promising to tell you anything ground-breaking here, but the two best centre-forwards in world football will meet in Miami. This is Haaland’s debut major tournament and he has led the line in outrageously efficient fashion. We know he doesn’t need lots of touches – he won’t against England either.
Haaland’s international goalscoring record is even better than his club numbers. You know how we talk of 20-goal per season strikers? Well Haaland has now done that in 2025-26, but for his country. He has got as many international goals in his career as Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic and he is 25. To repeat: quite good.
Set-piece threat
Although England were magnificent when deliberately dropping towards their own goal against Mexico, they have actually defended their penalty area pretty poorly during this tournament, both from open play and set pieces. And we saw how Ezri Konsa got into a mess for Mexico’s first goal.
On the Road USA
Join Daniel Storey on his 7,200-mile odyssey across the US to tell the stories of a World Cup like no other.
Norway are the best team in the world to exploit any set-piece frailty. The list of likely starters who are 6ft 4in or taller: Kristoffer Ajer, Torbjorn Heggem, Sander Berge, Alexander Sorloth, Haaland. That’s half the team and it presents a headache for how to counteract the problem. Look for Jordan Pickford coming out to take charge.
Nusa cutting inside
Antonio Nusa still has a shot at winning the Young Player of the Tournament award. He has already made one significant career move to RB Leipzig from Club Brugge – there will be interest this summer and beyond.
The issue is the special move: Nusa drops deep to pick up the ball, drives forward and then quickly cuts inside before shooting. If England have a natural central defender at right-back, they are absolutely going to have to guard against Nusa running free towards the penalty box.
England’s midfield legs
There is a week between the two fixtures, but England put a lot into their last-16 tie and as such there are doubts about the midfield energy. Rice is still carrying a fitness concern and accumulated fatigue, Jordan Henderson is out of the tournament and Thomas Tuchel clearly isn’t convinced by Kobbie Mainoo.
Brazil lost to Norway because Carlo Ancelotti got his central midfield shape wrong and left Casemiro with too much work to do. The best way to beat this team is to stymie the service from the two central midfielders into Martin Odegaard and Nusa. England are going to have to press them into playing backwards or making mistakes.
Odegaard and the change of tempo
Martin Odegaard is a huge threat to England’s midfield (Photo: Getty)
I would argue that Odegaard is the first true playmaker that England have faced in this tournament. Luka Modric is the closest but this was a tournament too far. Ghana tried to counter, Panama used wingers and Mexico had Julian Quinones and crosses into Raul Jimenez as their two most potent weapons.
How will England counteract that? Rice clearly knows Odegaard well and could follow him around, but then that slightly negates Rice’s high-energy style. What England must avoid is Odegaard having time between the lines to play through balls. He’s only created four chances in this World Cup so far. It only takes one pass to Haaland.
Attacking right-backs
England have been troubled down their left flank in this World Cup. Ghana should have earned a penalty from a ball down the right channel. The goal against DR Congo came from a ball from the right and Yoane Wissa should have made it 2-0 from an Aaron Wan-Bissaka cross.
Julian Ryerson was one of the best attacking right-backs in Europe last season, his 15 Bundesliga assists second only to Michael Olise. Put it this way: if England were spooked by Wan-Bissaka’s forward runs, Ryerson is going to be a problem.
Post a Comment