Haaland says pressure is ‘all on England’ before World Cup quarterfinal

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has carried his prolific club form onto the world stage, scoring seven goals at the 2026 FIFA World Cup to lead Norway into their first-ever quarterfinal. The 25-year-old's brace against Brazil on July 5 sealed a 2-1 upset victory and extended a scoring streak that now spans 27 goals in 14 consecutive international appearances.aljazeera+1

A Historic Run in the United States

Haaland's tournament has been nothing short of extraordinary. His two late goals against Brazil in East Rutherford, New Jersey, knocked the five-time champions out of the competition and sent Norway through to face England in Saturday's quarterfinal in Miami. According to ESPN, his seven goals from just 18 shots represent a 39% conversion rate — the best among players with 15 or more shots at the tournament.espn+2

The Norwegian forward has also become the only player at the 2026 World Cup to score with his left foot, right foot, and head, as well as from both inside and outside the penalty area, according to World Soccer Talk. His earlier winner against Ivory Coast in the Round of 32 took his international tally to 60 goals in just 53 appearances, making him the fastest player in history to reach that milestone.worldsoccertalk+2

Norway Face England With Haaland Leading the Charge

Norway will meet England at Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday, July 11, at 5 p.m. ET, with Haaland the tournament's leading scorer. Speaking ahead of the match, Haaland told the BBC that the pressure is "all on England". He enters the quarterfinal one goal ahead of England's Harry Kane, who has six goals in the tournament.sports.yahoo+3

The Athletic reported this week that Haaland, once perceived as robotic when he first arrived at Manchester City, has evolved into a more complete and charismatic figure — a transformation now on full display as he leads a nation with no previous World Cup quarterfinal appearance deeper into the tournament than anyone expected.nytimes