England are three games from glory (Picture: Getty)
England will play Norway in the quarter-finals of the World Cup tonight with a place in the semi-finals the reward for the winners.
Thomas Tuchel’s men will start the match in Miami as the favourites but will be wary of a Norway side boasting the likes of Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard.
Victory over the Scandinavians would represent a significant step forward in England’s quest to win their first trophy for 60 years, with just two gamesstanding between them and glory if they triumph in Florida this evening.
Here’s who, and when, England could play in the semi-finals and final should everything go according to plan over the next week.
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Who could England play in the semi-final?
Should England beat Norway, their semi-final match will be against either Argentina or Switzerland, who meet each other in the early hours of Sunday morning.
England play Norway on Saturday (Picture: Getty)
The game would take place on Wednesday, July 15, with kick-off at 8pm BST.
Atlanta, which played host to England’s Round of 32 win over DR Congo, would be the location for the semi-final showdown.
England have not played Argentina in a competitive game since a group stage meeting at the 2002 World Cup, which the Three Lions won 1-0.
Switzerland, meanwhile, were beaten on penalties by England in the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 following a 1-1 draw after extra-time.
Who could England play in the final?
Should they make it all the way to the final, England would play either Spain or France in New Jersey on Sunday, July 19, with kick-off at 8pm.
France booked their place in the last four with victory over Morocco, while Spain overcame Belgium to set up the clash between the European heavyweights.
Their semi-final will take place a day before England’s potential last four match on Tuesday, July 14.
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Norway and Haaland stand in England’s way tonight (Picture: Image Photo Agency/Getty Images)
In his exclusive column for Metro, former England World Cup star David James looks ahead to tonight’s showdown with Norway and Erling Haaland with a place in the World Cup semi-finals on the line.
It was probably the best game I have seen from England in the World Cup. In terms of the performance, there has been comparison with the 5-1 victory over Germany as the best game England have ever played. That game was total dominance from England against a powerful nation.
What we saw against Mexico had a bit of everything, rounded off by them holding their nerve on the biggest stage. England needed a bit of everything. The quality of the goals was immense but there was a requirement for defending and it was a better all-round performance from everybody. But I still think there is more.
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What I found really interesting was listening to Thomas Tuchel afterwards saying he was disappointed they didn’t play the way they trained. That’s good. It means there is more left when we come up against better opposition. I wouldn’t mistake the Mexico result and performance as overconfidence when it comes to winning the tournament. There is still a lot of work to be done.
But I have spoken to a lot of fans since and everyone came to the conclusion that we watched something magnificent. And England needed that. I’m not getting carried away but where there have been issues we have seen immediate improvement.
This team believes in everything the manager asks. And it sounds like he has seen more than we have seen in them behind the scenes and I believe he will get that out of them. Our best game has to be in the final. It is about building to that – if we can do it, we will be one happy nation.
A heroic night for England (Picture: Eric Verhoeven/Soccrates/Getty Images)
How England will deal with Erling Haaland
Marc Guehi and John Stones will of course know their Manchester City teammate Erling Haaland very well. While he is up front, he still orchestrates the tempo of that Norway side. He gets the ball when he wants it. The players will know how he plays. But I can’t imagine for one minute England will allow Norway to slow down and recycle the ball until Erling is ready. Therefore, the pressure on him will be big, he will have less opportunity to dictate the tempo of his team’s performance.
We know all about his goalscoring – he is having an incredible World Cup. So far, he hasn’t had many shots from outside the box. 16 of his 17 shots in this competition have come from within the box. I’ve studied him over the years, he generally doesn’t shoot from outside the box. And Stones and Guehi who know him extremely well will know that. Yes, he can do the unexpected, it is something you have to be wary of. But stopping the source will be England’s key.
Haaland in fearsome form (Picture: Mark Smith/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
Last season for City, Haaland had 12 shots outside the box in the Premier League, more than any of his previous seasons playing for the club. I think that came from City not always functioning as well and he wasn’t always able to do what he does so well. At times last season for City, he was frustrated with not getting the service, prompting him to start shooting outside the box.
You would like to think Guehi and Stones know this and will make it work to their advantage and frustrate him. I think we could see that on Saturday. Stop the crosses, stop Norway’s flow on the ball, stop Haaland. It sounds easy, but what we have seen from England is they have the energy and ability to do that and win the game.
Of course, we know Haaland is absolutely on it at the moment and is confident taking any shot on, believing he will score. But if he’s not getting the ball, he’s not going to score.
Pickford vs Nyland – two men in superb form
I also take huge encouragement from Jordan Pickford’s performance against Mexico. What he did aerially, his presence, his decision making, his execution, it was all superb. It took pressure off the defence. If Norway target aerial duels all evening, when you have a goalkeeper looking that confident and courageous, it bodes well and it will make Norway question themselves.
Pickford made vital saves against Mexico (Picture: Ulrik Pedersen/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
On the topic of goalkeepers, Ørjan Nyland had an exceptional game in goal against Brazil. If he didn’t have that sort of night, they don’t win that game. You would argue though he will need to have a similar sort of game against England because we will create chances. With England, it is a very different proposition from Brazil. England are a better defensive unit across the back than Brazil are. Norway had so much freedom up against that Brazilian midfield and I just don’t think England will allow them to do that again.
Mainoo had to wait against Mexico but chance could now beckon
There wasn’t an opportunity for Kobbie Mainoo to get on the pitch with the sending off against Mexico. I loved the changes Tuchel made that night; Dan Burn for example was told get on there and do not let anyone score. He did what he was told and he was magnificent.
Mainoo still to see a minute of action (Picture: Joe Prior/Visionhaus via Getty Images)
Everyone knew their role and improved the defensive side of things. Declan Rice was superb in midfield. Ironically, he looked fresher with less rest than he did earlier in the competition but there will still have to be consideration for that.
I still think there is room for Kobbie Mainoo. I just can’t understand how he hasn’t figured at all at the moment. I doubt he’ll start against Norway and we could see the same starting XI as Mexico – with the exception of the suspended Jarell Quansah – because there has been a bit more time for rest to get players recharged. But I think subs will have a key role to play again.
David James wrote for Metro ahead of England’s quarter-final clash against Norway, brought to you via PlayGuy.co.uk.
Solbakken had a brush with death 25 years ago (Picture: Getty)
Norway boss Stale Solbakken will be looking to cause an upset against England tonight when the two sides meet in Miami for their World Cup quarter-final showdown.
Solbakken, aided by some world class talent including the likes of Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard, has transformed the team’s fortunes since taking the job back in 2020.
This summer’s World Cup is the first major tournament the Norwegians have competed in for 26 years, while their current world ranking of 19th is one of the highest in the country’s history.
But life could have turned out very differently for Solbakken, had the events of a fateful day in March 2001 taken a turn for the worse.
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Solbakken, who was 33 at the time and had recently featured for Norway at the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000, was just six months into his stint at Danish giants Copenhagen when he suffered a heart attack during a training session.
Club doctor, Frank Odgaard, rushed to the midfielder’s side and administered a cardiac massage, in front of the shell-shocked Copenhagen squad, until an ambulance got to the training ground.
Upon the ambulance’s arrival, Solbakken was pronounced clinically dead after his heart stopped for seven minutes.
Incredibly, Solbakken was revived in the ambulance and was placed on a life-support machine for 26 hours in hospital, before gradually regaining consciousness. It would later transpire that he had been born with a heart defect.
Solbakken (right) made 58 appearances for Norway as a player (Picture: Getty)
Solbakken was fitted with a pacemaker, which he still wears to this day, before unsurprisingly announcing his retirement from football.
‘It was a dramatic experience but it was really worse for my family than for me because I didn’t feel anything,’ he said.
Solbakken remembers nothing about the events of March 13, insisting ‘it was simply as if the lights went out.’
He added: ‘For those who saw all this, what they went through must have been a trauma. My wife still cannot talk about it, even though so many years have passed.
‘At that moment she was left alone with two children — four and one years old. Anniken was only 23–24, and I was amazed at how she managed to cope with this difficult situation at such a young age.
‘My parents flew to Denmark straight away. I was told that on the plane my mum started planning my funeral.
‘At first they worried whether I would survive. Then — whether my brain would be damaged.
‘Those were the thoughts that tormented my family and team‑mates, who witnessed me collapsing, dying and being brought back to life.
The Norwegian coach has had a successful career in management (Picture: Getty)
Solbakken turned to coaching after retiring from the game, although the move into the dugout was not the end of his health problems.
During his first spell as Copenhagen manager in 2009, Solbakken’s heart stopped again and his life was only saved by the pacemaker which had been fitted eight years previous.
‘I was running across the pitch and suddenly felt my body go weak. ‘What the hell is going on?’ I thought. And then I was simply knocked to the ground. It was like a real kick up the backside. But after that I was fine.’
There was even more concern on the eve of the 2026 World Cup when, during an interview, Solbakken felt something in his chest.
‘My pacemaker suddenly started vibrating. That had not happened since 2009. I had everything checked, now everything is fine and I am calm.’ It turned out one of the journalists’ microphones had inadvertently interfered with his pacemaker.
Despite the recent scare, Solbakken no longer regards his defected heart to be an issue in his life and has forged a successful career as a coach – a brief spell at Wolves in 2012 aside.
‘I live perfectly well with the pacemaker, which kicks in as soon as the heart starts beating incorrectly. I do not feel any pain, I have no consequences except for the scar on my chest where the device is placed.
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The squad are now preparing for Saturday’s World Cup quarter-final against Norway and will fly out from the Midwest to Miami on the eve of the game which is scheduled to kick off at 10pm BST on Saturday night.
England trained on Thursday lunchtime at Swope Soccer Village, which is located around half a mile from their media centre, hosted in a community building.
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Bellingham has stood tall for Thomas Tuchel (Picture: FIFA via Getty)
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That training session meant no members of the England player or coaching staff were on the scene when a man, who appeared in distress, entered the media centre carrying a wrench on Thursday.
The individual was ushered out of the room and dealt with by local police, with the FA now set to review the incident.
England hope to return to their Kansas City facilities next week ahead of a World Cup semi-final against Argentina or Switzerland.
Quansah set to serve a two-match suspension (Picture: Michael Steele/Getty Images)
The Three Lions will be without defender Jarell Quansah for Saturday’s game and the semi-final if they reach that stage after FIFA confirmed he will serve a two-match ban as a result of the red card he picked up in the win over Mexico.
Tuchel could also be without Marc Guehi with the Manchester City defender carrying a hamstring issue.
Thomas Tuchel watches on during Wednesday’s training session (Picture: Getty Images)
Three England players sat out of training on Wednesday ahead of Saturday’s huge World Cup quarter-final with Norway.
The Three Lions are back at their training base in Kansas City, preparing at the Swope Soccer Village for this weekend’s game, which is taking place in Miami.
It is not a clean bill of health in the England squad before the massive clash with the Norwegians, with Thomas Tuchel keeping an eye on fitness issues.
Bellingham has stood tall for Thomas Tuchel (Picture: FIFA via Getty)
England need three more wins, how are your nerves? Make sense of the drama with Metro's free daily newsletter, featuring England updates, match previews and exclusive analysis. Sign up now.
The Brentford midfielder is staying with the squad, but has undergone surgery and will not play again this summer.
There are less serious issues elsewhere in camp, but serious enough to see Reece James, Declan Rice and Marc Guehi all miss training on Wednesday.
The Sun report that both Rice and Guehi are expected to be fine to face Norway, but are managing ongoing issues.
England have returned to Kansas City between matches (Picture: Getty Images)
Rice has been dealing with a hamstring complaint for months, but has been playing through it for club and country.
The Arsenal star was left out of the final group game against Panama but has started all four other games for England at the World Cup.
He will be in midfield again this weekend unless anything goes wrong when he does train this week.
Guehi is reportedly dealing with ‘muscle fatigue’ but is also expected to start in Miami, likely partnering Ezri Konsa again at centre-back.
Declan Rice has been playing through pain all tournament (Picture: Getty Images)
James is the only serious uncertainty ahead of the quarter-finals as he continues his recovery from a hamstring problem picked up in the group stage.
The Chelsea captain started the first two games of the tournament but has not played since the goalless draw with Ghana.
Tuchel hinted ahead of the Mexico win that James was closing in on a return and there is hope that he will be fit enough to be involved against Norway, but a place in the starting XI seems unlikely.
With Jarell Quansah suspended after his red card in the last round, Djed Spence appears the likeliest option to start at right-back against Norway, as he did against DR Congo in the last 32.
England play in the quarter-finals on Saturday (Picture: FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
Sir Keir Starmer has strongly hinted there will be a bank holiday to mark England winning the World Cup if the Three Lions end 60 years of hurt this summer.
Should they be victorious, England will face either Argentina or Switzerland in the semi-finals with the final taking place on Sunday 19 July in New Jersey.
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Bellingham has stood tall for Thomas Tuchel (Picture: FIFA via Getty)
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Starmer is widely expected to step down as prime minister the following day and hand over the keys to no10 to Andy Burnham.
England have not reached a World Cup final since their last triumph in 1966. But if that long wait does come to an end, Starmer has suggested one of his last acts could be giving the green light to a special day to celebrate.
‘On the question of a bank holiday, I think I don’t want to jinx it, but ask me again if we get to the final,’ Starmer said.
England fans could get another day to celebrate (Picture: Peter Byrne/PA Wire)
The extra bank holiday would likely fall on 24 July – the Friday following the final.
The government opted against granting a bank holiday last Monday following England’s win over Mexico which had a delayed kick-off of 2am that morning.
Instead, pubs were granted permission to stay open until 5am with boozers across the country packed out as Tuchel’s side sealed a historic 3-2 win.
‘Have another shot and text your bosses to say you’re not coming in tomorrow,’ Jude Bellingham, who scored twice in Mexico City, said in his post-match message to fans.
‘My god, if you can’t enjoy a night like this, just for one night, then I don’t know what it’s worth.’
Starmer won’t intervene over Quansah red card
The only blemish on a glorious night for England against Mexico was a red card shown to Bayer Leverkusen defender Jarell Quansah, sent off for a reckless challenge in the second-half.
It came amid the storm surrounding Donald Trump’s decision to personally step in to ensure USA striker Folarin Balogun was available to play against Belgium in their last 16 match.
Quansah was shown a straight red card (Picture: Michael Steele/Getty Images)
