One of the world’s most feared strikers stands between England and the World Cup semi-finals, but the upside for Thomas Tuchel’s side is that few international teams know Erling Haaland as well as they do.
The prolific Norwegian has spent the last four years terrorising Premier League defences with Manchester City, scoring goals at a remarkable rate and becoming a familiar opponent for many of England’s players.
The 25-year-old’s combination of power, pace and finishing ability is frightening and with seven goals in the tournament already England know that allowing him any space in Miami on Saturday could prove fatal. Asked how to contain Haaland, England midfielder Morgan Rogers laughed. “Has anyone ever stopped Erling Haaland Not sure they have, but we’re gonna try,” Rogers told reporters on Wednesday.
“He’s such an unbelievable player, the things he does, the numbers he puts up, you just know how good he is that we’re gonna have to maybe try and … stop how the balls go into him and how he gets his chances, because he’s so deadly in front of the goal.”
Rogers’ Aston Villa have held Haaland goalless in City’s last four trips to Villa Park, although the 23-year-old put that down to luck, but he said other Norway players with English sides – such as Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard – were also major threats.
England will be buoyed by their dramatic 10-man 3-2 victory over Mexico in the last 16, a match that delivered one of the team’s most memorable World Cup performances in recent years. The squad returned to their Kansas City base in the early hours of Monday morning after a match Rogers said had left them exhausted. “That was the message today with our first training session back, is that we go for it again, we go and get more, and we can still improve and get better,” Rogers said. “For a lot of us, this will be the biggest game we’ve been involved in, especially at a World Cup in the circumstances.”
Rogers said the squad were delighted to welcome experienced midfielder Jordan Henderson back to camp after he underwent surgery on the arm injury he suffered during post-game celebrations in Mexico City.
“That just shows exactly what he’s like as a person,” Rogers said. “To see him this morning, smiling, and still as happy as he ever is, no matter what’s happened to him in the last 48 hours or whatnot, is so nice for us. He’s kind of the heartbeat of the group.”
A new tradition has taken hold among England fans at the World Cup, with supporters and players belting out Oasis’ “Wonderwall” after matches.
Asked if he knew the words, Rogers laughed again. “Don’t think you’re English if you don’t know the lyrics,” he said. “It’s such a known song, everyone has to know the lyrics of that. If not, you better learn them quick.”