England has one team standing in its way of a 2026 World Cup semifinal berth, and that team, while talented as a group, features one standout 6-foot-4 speedy giant in contention for the Golden Boot.
After beating Mexico in a thriller last weekend, the Three Lions have advanced to three straight World Cup quarterfinals for the first time in almost 60 years (1962-1970). Now, the only thing standing in their way of a semifinals appearance is Erling Haaland and Norway on Saturday in Miami.
Former England defender Warren Barton, who’s now a FOX Sports World Cup match analyst, was impressed with how his team handled Mexico at Mexico City Stadium — also known as Estadio Azteca — against a home-field advantage. But the Three Lions have to build on their round of 16 success to keep the dream of it coming home alive.
“It’s a game that I’m really looking forward to,” Barton told us recently. “I’m not overly confident, but I’m pretty confident. And it’s not coming home yet, but it might be on the plane. We don’t know.”
Barton predicts a 2-0 victory for England, but he knows it won’t be easy. Here are his three keys to England taking down Norway in the World Cup quarterfinals.
1.
This one is a given, considering Haaland accounts for seven of Norway’s 11 World Cup goals this tournament. But it’s crucial.
“The biggest thing they have to do is keep Haaland quiet,” Barton said. “That is an obvious statement, but he only needs half a chance. So as much as what England do with the ball — and [Martin] Ødegaard has performed nicely — I simply assume we match up actually, very well in opposition to him.”
Haaland is barely behind Argentina’s Lionel Messi and France’s Kylian Mbappé within the Golden Boot race, as they each have eight targets apiece. (Nonetheless, Argentina has but to play its quarterfinals recreation in opposition to Switzerland on Saturday, whereas France superior to the semis with a win over Morocco.)
From Barton’s defensive perspective, he stated if England gamers can squeeze Haaland up the sphere a bit and depend on him not working behind them, they’re going to be in a powerful place. They are going to, nonetheless, have to make sure there’s at all times a physique on him too.
“You have to press him up, and do not enable them to get the ball to him,” Barton stated. “There shall be instances they’ve the ball; make them go direct. Do not sit again and invite them to have possession and are available ahead, so he can get nearer and nearer to the objective. I believe we’ve to maintain him excessive. Have a excessive line and play a excessive line and make them play direct.”
2. 
Let Kane And Bellingham Prepare dinner
Once more, maybe apparent, however nonetheless important to success. Kane and Bellingham lead England’s World Cup goalscoring this match and mix to account for 10 of the group’s 11 targets to date. Kane has six and isn’t far off the Golden Boot frontrunners.
And whereas Norway will definitely look to stifle England’s high duo, enabling their scoring probabilities and capitalizing on their chemistry will go a great distance, Barton stated.
“I believe each of them have come to this match with a degree to show that they have been formidable,” he defined.
“Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham — in all probability greater than any mixture on this match — complement one another very well. … I simply assume them two have actually led the best way. And when you’ve your strikers main the best way, it is a lot simpler for the opposite 9 gamers behind to go and observe them, and to do this.
“I am unable to actually consider any pairing — Ødegaard and Haaland, possibly — however simply that they make the run change over, they assist one another out, they’re unselfish, they respect one another. So I simply assume they’re actually a standout mixture.”
The Three Lions have one other benefit over Norway, in Barton’s thoughts, with vital depth from so many gamers competing at a excessive degree. He famous that Norway typically has the flexibility to lean on its bench, but it surely’s not as efficient as England’s.
“You handle your substitutions and your minutes of gamers, and that is the place England [has] possibly obtained a much bigger benefit than Norway with the depth,” Barton added.
“They do carry gamers in, there’s not a lot of a drop-off. The place you take a look at some nations, they make quite a lot of adjustments … for accidents, for suspension, for key gamers that do not have the standard to return in and play at that degree — the place France do, and I believe England do as nicely.”
3.
Beating Mexico in Mexico Metropolis is not any simple feat. However after the best way England rallied to victory, it wants to keep up the “togetherness and spirit” of that win whereas leaning on built-up confidence.
“The best way that they dug in actually deep with Mexico [and] all the weather — not simply the altitude, however the followers and the sending off [of Jarell Quansah], the referee, and the whole lot that goes with that, with the sport enjoying away from residence — confirmed quite a lot of character,” Barton stated.
(Picture by Charlotte Wilson/Getty Pictures)
Realizing the gamers nicely actually helps too, he added, notably Manchester Metropolis teammates Haaland and Marc Guéhi.
“So I believe they go into this recreation very, very assured,” Barton added, “not solely due to [the Mexico] consequence, but additionally, they match up very well in opposition to Norway.”
EVERY Objective From Spherical of 16 🔥 2026 FIFA World Cup™
