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Norway superstar Erling Haaland couldn't resist telling England and its supporters to "stay humble" ahead of Saturday's World Cup quarterfinal showdown, though he acknowledged the Three Lions are the "clear favorites" to advance.
In a World Cup thoroughly dominated by the sport's biggest names, Haaland has firmly established himself among this summer's standout performers. The 25-year-old has netted seven goals, just one behind Golden Boot co-leaders Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé, and is eager to add to that tally when Norway face England with a semifinal berth at stake.
Thomas Tuchel's squad enter as favorites against a Norway side making its first-ever World Cup quarterfinal appearance. Yet Haaland is determined to ensure his upcoming opponents and their supporters don't get carried away.
"I think everyone should stay humble but [England] should be confident of progressing, definitely," Haaland said with a grin, echoing the now-famous line from his exchange with Mikel Arteta following Manchester City's 2–2 draw with Arsenal back in Sept. 2024.
Haaland Shifts All the Attention to England
Never one to avoid a bit of psychological warfare, Haaland continued heaping pressure on England ahead of Saturday's matchup in Miami. He acknowledged that Norway's chances of winning the World Cup remain "really low still," reinforcing his earlier prediction that gave his nation just a 0.5% chance of lifting the trophy on July 19.
"I think there are some clear favorites out there. England are one of them, so I think all of you should put every single pressure on the English lads."
Few anticipated Norway would eliminate Brazil in the round of 16, but a stunning late brace from Haaland sent Carlo Ancelotti's side packing. England, meanwhile, delivered a thrilling and gutsy display against Mexico at the Azteca to secure their spot in the quarterfinals.
The Three Lions were reduced to 10 men for virtually the entire second half, yet still managed to claim a 3–2 victory in one of the tournament's most memorable matches. As one of the pre-tournament favorites, England is expected to advance past Norway, but must accomplish what no team has managed this summer: keeping Haaland quiet.
Manchester City's Best Coming Face to Face in Miami
Haaland, who was born in Leeds, also spoke about how much he's anticipating the England clash, which sees him go up against several of his Manchester City club colleagues.
"It's a special game, definitely," he said. "I think for me, it's super special because I play in England and I'm born in England, and you also play against teammates and everything. So it's a bit … not weird, but it's a funny game and it's going to be nice."
Haaland's City teammate Nico O'Reilly dismissed Haaland's remarks as "mind games" before going on to praise the striker, who claimed yet another Premier League Golden Boot last season. "Erling's Erling. We all know what he's like. He can score goals. He's dangerous in the box, and he's a real threat. But they need to get him the ball in first. A lot goes into it.
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"I think keeping Erling quiet gives us a real chance to win the game."
O'Reilly will be hoping fellow City man Marc Guéhi is fit to start against Haaland, though the center back is nursing a hamstring problem and remains a doubt for Saturday, potentially leaving England's defensive line exposed to one of the most deadly strikers in the world.