Miami, July 11: The FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-finals will feature a thrilling match between England and Norway, scheduled for late Sunday night at 2:30 AM IST. Both teams are eager to secure a spot in the semi-finals against the winner of the Argentina vs. Switzerland match.
Norway has made history by reaching the quarter-finals for the first time in FIFA World Cup history. Under the guidance of coach Ståle Solbakken, Norway finished second in Group I, just behind France, and achieved two significant victories in their inaugural World Cup knockout matches.
Erling Haaland has been the standout player for Norway, scoring a late winning goal against Côte d’Ivoire in the Round of 32. He followed this up with two goals against five-time champions Brazil in the Round of 16, propelling the Nordic nation further in the tournament.
On the other hand, England, the 1966 World Cup champions, topped Group L, surpassing Croatia, Ghana, and Panama. However, they faced challenges to secure their quarter-final spot. The Three Lions made a comeback after trailing against DR Congo in the Round of 32, winning 2-1 thanks to two late goals from Harry Kane. They then triumphed over co-hosts Mexico with a 3-2 victory, where Jude Bellingham scored twice, despite playing most of the second half with only ten players.
This will be the first World Cup encounter between Norway and England, although they have met 12 times previously, including qualifying matches for the 1982 and 1994 tournaments. Their last clash was in 2014 during an international friendly, where England won 1-0 at Wembley, courtesy of a penalty from Wayne Rooney.
England’s Squad:
– Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford, Dean Henderson, James Trafford.
– Defenders: Ezri Konsa, Nico O’Reilly, John Stones, Marc Guéhi, Tino Livramento, Dan Burn, Reece James, Jed Spence, Jerrell Quansah.
– Midfielders: Declan Rice, Elliot Anderson, Jude Bellingham, Jordan Henderson, Kobi Mané, Morgan Rogers, Eberechi Eze.
– Forwards: Bukayo Saka, Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford, Anthony Gordon, Ollie Watkins, Noni Madueke, Ivan Toney.
Norway’s Squad:
– Goalkeepers: Ørjan Haskjold Nyland, Eigil Selvik, Sander Tangvik.
– Defenders: Christopher Vasbakk Ajer, Fredrik Bjørkan, Henrik Falchener, Sondre Langås, Torbjørn Heggem, Marcus Holmgren Pedersen, Julian Ryerson, David Møller Wolfe, Leo Østigard.
– Midfielders: Thelonious Asgard, Fredrik Aursnes, Patrick Berg, Sander Berge, Oscar Bob, Jens Petter Hauge, Antonio Nusa, Andreas Schjelderup, Morten Thorsby, Christian Thorstvedt, Martin Ødegaard.
– Forwards: Erling Haaland, Jørgen Strand Larsen, Alexander Sørloth.
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