England Face Haaland as World Cup Quarter-Finals Approach

The World Cup has reached the stage where every flaw is punished and every edge matters. For England, that edge just got a little duller.

Thomas Tuchel’s side head into a quarter-final with Norway knowing they must face Erling Haaland without Jarell Quansah, suspended for two matches after his red card against Mexico. It’s a significant setback, made worse by fitness doubts over Marc Guehi, Declan Rice and Reece James before Saturday’s tie.

England, though, arrive with momentum and a statement win behind them. Beating co-hosts Mexico at the Azteca, where the hosts simply do not lose in World Cups, was a flex of nerve and resilience. Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane stayed firmly on their upward curve, but it was the defensive steel that defined the night. Jordan Pickford was sharp, Dan Burn came off the bench and slotted in as if he’d been there all tournament, and a 10-man England held the line after Quansah’s dismissal before the hour.

Now comes a very different test. Tuchel’s next assignment is as simple to describe as it is brutal to execute: find a way to stop Haaland.

Norway ride Haaland’s ruthlessness into history

Norway arrive as the dangerous outsider nobody really wants to face. Ranked 21st in the world, they have already ripped up expectations by reaching a first-ever World Cup quarter-final, carried there by the cold inevitability of Haaland in full flow.

Against Brazil, Norway showed exactly what having arguably the world’s deadliest striker can do to a game plan. Haaland’s double not only dumped out the five-time champions, it underlined that any opponent, however decorated, is vulnerable if they give him a yard.

Behind him, the spine is holding. Goalkeeper Orjan Nyland is in the form of his life, producing the kind of shot-stopping that keeps underdogs alive in tournaments like this. In midfield, Martin Odegaard dictates tempo, stitching together a side that can both keep the ball and scrap physically with anyone.

Manchester City’s Haaland and Arsenal’s Odegaard now walk into a quarter-final laced with Premier League subplots. They will stare across at familiar England faces and know exactly what, and who, they’re up against.

Belgium awaken as Spain loom

Belgium looked finished before they’d really started. Laboured against Egypt, flat against Iran, they were being quietly shuffled into the “past their peak” pile.

Then something clicked.

A 5-1 demolition of New Zealand to close the group phase jolted them into life. The comeback against Senegal in the round of 32 – from 2-0 down late on – felt improbable, almost defiant. Their win over the United States in the last 16 pushed them into the quarter-finals and onto a genuine roll.

There is a sting, though. Amadou Onana’s ACL injury robs them of Aston Villa’s powerhouse in midfield, a loss that will be felt in every duel against Spain’s slick technicians. Belgium have earned the right to dream of an upset. Whether they can live with Spain’s rhythm without Onana is another matter.

Switzerland finally break their ceiling

Switzerland are usually the dependable supporting act of a World Cup: solid, organised, out in the last 16. Not this time.

Against Colombia, they held their nerve, won their first World Cup penalty shootout, and reached a first quarter-final since 1954, when they hosted the tournament. They did it without Johan Manzambi, the 20-year-old who had been their attacking spark with three goals and two assists before injury struck.

Without him, their creativity dipped; they managed only two shots on target in the last-16 tie. But their structure and discipline held. They ground Colombia down, then edged them from the spot.

Next up is Argentina. On paper, it’s a mismatch. On the pitch, a Swiss side that believes it can drag anyone into its kind of game will quietly fancy the upset.

Morocco fall short, but stay in the elite

Morocco could not repeat their 2022 semi-final miracle, but they did something no African side had done before: reach successive World Cup quarter-finals.

They emerged from a gentle group, holding Brazil to a draw in their opener, then squeezed past the Netherlands on penalties. Against co-hosts Canada, they were ruthless, winning 3-0 despite only five attempts on goal.

France, though, were a step too far. Morocco never really unsettled a star-studded side and sorely missed injured forward Ismael Saibari, whose absence blunted their attack. The performance disappointed, but the campaign did not. Under heavy expectation from home, they still delivered another deep run.

Paraguay’s high fades against France

Paraguay’s World Cup will be remembered for one extraordinary night: beating Germany in the last 32, one of the greatest results in their history.

They couldn’t scale that peak twice.

France controlled their round-of-16 meeting, with Paraguay rarely threatening in a footballing sense, even if they were stubborn and awkward to break down. That resilience might yet provide a blueprint for how better-equipped sides can frustrate the French later on.

Given they were thrashed 4-1 by the U.S. in their opening match, reaching this stage and toppling Germany marks a surprisingly strong tournament.

Mexico’s fortress finally falls

Mexico’s World Cup ended in heartbreak and history of the wrong kind. They lost at the Azteca in the tournament for the first time, their 10-game unbeaten run in World Cup matches there snapped by England.

They had not conceded a goal all tournament until Bellingham struck twice in quick succession. Even after England went down to 10 men before the hour, Mexico couldn’t find the cutting edge. Cross after cross rained into the box; few truly threatened.

Julian Quinones, with four goals in five games, emerges as the standout name from this campaign. But for a host nation, this will sting for a long time.

Colombia fall short of their own ambition

Colombia will replay that shootout against Switzerland in their minds for years. They created the better chances in the last-16 tie but lost on penalties, a cruel exit for a side that had quietly built belief.

They had wanted another crack at Argentina in the quarter-finals, a shot at revenge after losing the Copa America final two years ago. Instead, they found no way through Switzerland’s stubborn defence.

The group stage had promised more: a composed, dominant display against Portugal in a goalless draw to top Group K, then a confident win over Ghana in the round of 32. Hopes were high. The margins, again, were thin.

United States undone by old problem

The U.S. walked into this home World Cup talking about a new era. They leave with familiar questions.

Belgium outclassed them in the round of 16, extending a barren run against top European nations when it matters most. The performance jarred with the promise of the group stage and a composed last-32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Folarin Balogun saga – his controversial involvement and the noise around it – hangs over the exit, but only those inside the camp know its real impact. What is clear: against Belgium, this was not the assertive, fearless U.S. team many had expected to see.

Egypt’s heartbreak, and a reset of history

Egypt arrived with the label of World Cup underachievers. They leave having rewritten part of that story, even if the ending was brutal.

They claimed their first World Cup win, against New Zealand, then their first knockout victory by edging Australia on penalties in the round of 32. Against Argentina in the last 16, they were superb on the counter, led for most of the game, and had the holders rattled before collapsing late on.

At 2-0 up, game management deserted them. They didn’t close it down, didn’t slow it enough. The defeat will hurt, but this was a team that finally showed it belongs on this stage.

Canada’s step forward, questions attached

Canada’s campaign is hard to pin down. They earned their first World Cup point, reached the knockouts for the first time, and yet left a nagging sense of underachievement.

They wasted a flurry of first-half chances before losing 3-0 to Morocco in the last 16. Their only wins came against Qatar and South Africa, in a group that was hardly brutal.

Given the investment and years of planning to build a host nation worthy of the spotlight, the real victory may be what comes next: a legacy that makes Canada a regular at this tournament rather than a novelty.

Cape Verde light up the world

Cape Verde became one of the stories of the summer. They drew 0-0 with European champions Spain, somehow finished above Uruguay to reach the last 16 after three group draws, and then saved their most daring performance for Argentina.

Twice they came from behind against the world champions. Goalkeeper Vozinha, the breakout star of the tournament, made eight saves, including a superb one-on-one stop from Messi. Roberto “Pico” Lopes again marshalled the defence with authority.

But the moment that will live longest belongs to full-back Sidny Lopes Cabral, whose outrageous curled finish from a tight angle will sit in every goal-of-the-tournament conversation.

Brazil’s drought deepens

Brazil go home with another scar. Their defeat to Norway in the last 16 means the World Cup’s most successful nation will hit 28 years without lifting the trophy by the time of the next edition, the longest drought in their history.

Not even Carlo Ancelotti, serial winner across Europe, could shake them from a strangely passive display against opponents they have still never beaten in five attempts.

Neymar came on late, scored a consolation penalty, traded words with Nyland and clashed with Odegaard, then ended the night in tears at the whistle. The image fits the mood of a nation that has forgotten what a World Cup feels like to win.

Portugal stall as Ronaldo bows out

Portugal’s star-studded squad never truly caught fire. Only once did they look clearly superior to their opponents, in a 5-0 win over debutants Uzbekistan.

Against Spain in the last 16, Roberto Martinez’s side drifted through the game, short on intent, and only came alive after conceding a stoppage-time winner. Too late.

This was the final World Cup for Cristiano Ronaldo. He scored at a record sixth edition, finally found a knockout goal with a penalty against Croatia, but from open play he was a shadow of his old self. An era ends with a whimper, not a roar.

Netherlands undone by penalties and doubt

The Netherlands looked like a force in the group stage, sweeping aside Sweden 5-1 and unleashing a fluid attack of Cody Gakpo, Brian Brobbey and Crysencio Summerville.

Then came Morocco in the last 16, another top-10 side. Ronald Koeman blinked, switched to a back five, and while the plan almost worked – Morocco needed a late equaliser – the shift raised a question: why abandon what had been working?

The shootout answered nothing, except to confirm their exit. Three missed penalties out of five, and with it, another early departure. Koeman resigned soon after.

Germany’s cycle of failure continues

Germany’s tournament followed a familiar, frustrating pattern. They looked powerful early, hammering Curacao and edging Ivory Coast, only for alarm bells to sound in a 2-1 loss to Ecuador with close to their strongest XI on the pitch.

Paraguay knocked them out in the last 32, a shock made worse by context: Paraguay had been dismantled 4-1 by the U.S. earlier in the competition. Jonathan Tah’s extra-time equaliser was ruled out for blocking the goalkeeper, but Germany should never have been in that position.

After group-stage exits in 2018 and 2022, this is another early fall. Even their historic reliability from the spot deserted them; this was their first World Cup shootout defeat. Julian Nagelsmann has since stepped down.

Japan’s promise meets Brazil’s punch

Japan lit up the group stage with an egoless, high-energy style that won admirers and raised expectations. Many believed they could trouble Brazil in the last 32. They did more than that, taking the lead through Kaishu Sano.

Brazil responded and finally broke them with an added-time winner. Injuries to Kaoru Mitoma, Takefusa Kubo and Wataru Endo before and during the tournament left Japan short of their full potential. The feeling lingers: with a clean bill of health, how far could this team have gone?

Senegal’s collapse and lingering quality

Senegal were 2-0 up against Belgium in the 86th minute of their last-32 tie. Then everything fell apart.

Youri Tielemans’ extra-time penalty completed a comeback that left Senegalese players in tears, months after they had already been stripped of their AFCON crown. The exit was brutal, but the performance for most of the game was not.

Ismaila Sarr’s chest control and thunderous finish was one of the goals of the tournament. They had pushed both Belgium and France hard. The meltdown will define the campaign, but it shouldn’t erase the level they showed.

Ivory Coast show promise, lack punch

Ivory Coast leave the World Cup with only two defeats, to Germany in the group stage and Norway in the round of 32. Wins over Ecuador and Curacao underlined their status as one of the best of the rest, just outside the elite.

They brought the youngest squad in the tournament, and it showed in both good and bad ways. Amad shone, scoring a winner against Ecuador and a brilliant solo effort versus Norway. Yan Diomande flashed the kind of talent that could soon command a big transfer.

But none of their strikers scored. That reliance on midfielders and playmakers to both create and finish proved fatal.

Croatia’s golden era winds down

After finishing runners-up in 2018 and third in 2022, Croatia’s exit in the round of 32 to Portugal felt like the end of something.

They had recovered from a 4-2 defeat to England in their opener to finish second in Group L, beating Panama and Ghana. But late on against Portugal, they finally ran out of road.

Attention now turns to Luka Modric. At 40, the 2018 Ballon d’Or winner may have played his last international match. There is no replacing him. Only adapting to a future without him.

Sweden’s revival, France’s reality check

Sweden’s presence here was a minor miracle in itself. Less than a year ago, they finished bottom of their qualifying group behind Kosovo, Slovenia and Switzerland without a win.

Under Graham Potter, they surged back, beating Ukraine and Poland in the play-offs, then thrashed Tunisia 5-1 in their opener and drew with Japan. The optimism was real.

France ended the run in the last 32, as expected. With forwards like Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyokeres and Anthony Elanga, Sweden now have the tools to be more than plucky qualifiers. Consistency is the next hurdle.

Ecuador defend well, but not enough

Ecuador built their tournament on defensive resilience, but paid for a lack of cutting edge. Across four games they scored just twice, both in a 2-1 win over Germany that became their standout moment.

They couldn’t break down Curacao. In the knockouts, they couldn’t live with Mexico’s ruthlessness. Enner Valencia, 36, never really got going. Their other stars – Moises Caicedo, William Pacho, Piero Hincapie – are all defensive players.

Hincapie’s added-time red card against Mexico, for covering his mouth in a confrontation, summed up a campaign that never quite balanced grit with guile.

Ghana show their true level

Ranked 73rd coming into the tournament, Ghana were officially the second-lowest side in the field. It never looked that way on the pitch.

They beat Panama in their opener, then earned a battling 0-0 draw against England, denied a late penalty that could have rewritten their story. Qualification followed, but Colombia’s class eventually wore them down in the round of 32.

Without the injured Mohammed Kudus, they lacked a spark in attack. Still, this felt less like a one-off and more like a foundation after years of inconsistency.

Austria find their limit

Austria clung to the knockouts by the skin of their teeth, edging past Algeria in a dramatic final group game. Once there, Spain exposed their ceiling.

Ralf Rangnick’s side carried a threat in the group phase, scoring three goals in two different matches. But against superior opposition – they also faced Argentina – they never quite found the balance between defensive resilience and attacking ambition.

For a first World Cup since 1998, it was a respectable step, if not a transformative one.

Australia punch up again

Australia added another chapter to their proud World Cup habit of defying expectation. Their 2-0 win over Turkey was one of the tournament’s early shocks, and Tony Popovic’s side kept swinging.

Built to absorb pressure and break quickly, they couldn’t replicate the clinical finishing of that first game. They did, however, fight back from behind against Egypt before eventually losing on penalties in the round of 32.

Back-to-back knockout appearances underline a simple truth: Australia keep finding ways to matter on this stage.

Algeria search for a new core

Algeria’s campaign fizzled out with a tame round-of-32 loss to Switzerland, a match in which they rarely threatened.

There were bright spots. Riyad Mahrez, at 35, finally scored his first World Cup goals. Anis Hadj Moussa, the 24-year-old Feyenoord winger, showed signs he can be part of the next generation.

But too many of their key players are past their peak, and they lag behind the continent’s leading sides – Senegal, Ivory Coast, Morocco – in depth and dynamism.

DR Congo leave a mark

At only their second World Cup, and their first since competing as Zaire in 1974, DR Congo made it to the knockouts as one of nine African nations in the last 32.

A draw with Portugal and a win over Uzbekistan did the job in Group K. Against England, they struck first through Brian Cipenga and watched goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi turn in a heroic display before the pressure finally told.

Even in defeat, DR Congo left a vivid impression: bold, fearless, and far from overawed.

Bosnia and Herzegovina make history

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s campaign may have ended in the last 32, but the milestone matters. A win over Qatar and a draw with Canada carried them into the knockouts for the first time as an independent nation.

The result that will echo longest, though, came before the tournament: their victory over Italy in UEFA’s play-offs to get here. Whatever happens next, they have that.

South Africa’s late sting

South Africa arrived with modest expectations and almost rewrote them. After losing their opener to Mexico, few believed a knockout place was realistic.

They made it anyway, for the first time in their history, and came within stoppage time of forcing co-hosts Mexico into extra time. One late goal ended the dream.

Hugo Broos departs as the oldest man to coach a team in a World Cup knockout game. His players leave knowing they were seconds from something extraordinary.

Iran exit unbeaten, and bruised

Iran’s tournament ended with a statistic that will torment them: they did not lose a match, and still went home early.

Against Egypt, they had an added-time winner ruled out for a marginal offside, then hit the crossbar even later. A win would have sealed qualification. Instead, they waited on other results, clinging to three points and a neutral goal difference.

When Algeria seemed to have scored a late winner in their own group game, Iran were going through. Austria’s stoppage-time equaliser knocked them out. All this against the backdrop of an unprecedented military conflict with co-hosts the U.S., and the chaos of being forced to fly in and out around matches before that decision was reversed. They leave with pride, and plenty of regret.

New Zealand find a new star

New Zealand’s return to the World Cup for the first time since 2010 yielded no points beyond the opener, but did produce a breakout name: Elijah Just, scorer of three goals and a bright light in attack.

Chris Wood’s touches against Iran in the first match went viral, but the step up in class told. Egypt and Belgium overwhelmed them in the next two games.

They depart with memories, a cult hero in Tim Payne, and a familiar target: reach the knockouts for the first time.

Turkey fall flat

Few teams underdelivered relative to expectations like Turkey. Drawn with Australia and Paraguay, they were widely tipped to progress. Instead, they crashed out with a game to spare.

A 3-2 win over the U.S. in their final match at least brought goals and some measure of pride, but it arrived too late to matter. This will be filed as a missed opportunity.

Uruguay self-destruct

Uruguay set themselves up for a final-day showdown with Spain after taking just two points from Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde. They never really threatened to win it.

The talent is there – they finished level on points with Brazil and Colombia in qualifying – but it never surfaced consistently here. A goalkeeping blunder and a red card capped a self-inflicted, bitterly disappointing campaign.

Saudi Arabia regress, but don’t collapse

Saudi Arabia couldn’t match their 2018 and 2022 trick of winning a group game, and again failed to reach the knockouts, something they’ve only managed once, in 1994.

Yet they were stubborn opponents, drawing twice and proving hard to beat. With the rapid development of their domestic league and the 2034 World Cup on home soil to come, this may be a staging post rather than a dead end.

South Korea lose their edge

South Korea started well, beating the Czech Republic 2-1. Then the spark vanished.

Back-to-back defeats to Mexico and South Africa, without scoring, left them on three points and minus one goal difference – not enough to progress as one of the best third-placed teams. It was a step back from 2022, when they advanced ahead of Uruguay and Ghana.

Captain Son Heung-min struggled to influence games and was dropped from the starting XI in the final match. A sobering campaign.

Scotland’s long wait ends, then restarts

Scotland finally returned to the World Cup after 28 years, only to see their fate decided by results elsewhere. Three points, earned against Haiti, weren’t enough due to a minus-three goal difference after a 3-0 defeat to Brazil.

Steve Clarke resigned after seven years in charge. The pain of falling at the first hurdle will linger, but so will the memory of being back.

Curacao punch above their weight

The smallest nation at this World Cup, Curacao, arrived as rank outsiders and leave with heads high. They took a point off Ecuador thanks to the brilliance of goalkeeper Eloy Room and scored their first World Cup goal through Livano Comenencia.

A 7-1 hammering by Germany in their opener could have broken them. It didn’t. They recovered to compete, if not qualify. For a country of their size, simply being here and competing matters.

Czech Republic fall flat

The Czech Republic fought through European play-offs, beating the Republic of Ireland and Denmark, to earn their place. Once in, they failed to build on it.

They needed a win against Mexico in their final group game and lost 3-0. One point against South Africa, bottom of Group A, was all they had to show. A deflating campaign.

Uzbekistan learn the hard way

Uzbekistan’s debut World Cup yielded no points, but a few moments. They fought Colombia hard and even led DR Congo before being overrun.

Facing Ronaldo in what is almost certainly his final World Cup was a landmark, but they were on the wrong side of history as he scored at a sixth tournament in Portugal’s 5-0 win.

With Fabio Cannavaro in the dugout, they still conceded 11 goals in three games. Defensive organisation must improve if they’re to trouble anyone next time.

Panama still searching for a goal

Panama left this World Cup as the only side not to score, a statistic that stings even as the performances showed growth.

They were already out before facing England, and a 2-0 defeat confirmed their exit. Yet they were stubborn: narrow one-goal losses to Ghana and Croatia marked a clear improvement on 2018, when they shipped 11 goals.

If they can add a sharper attacking edge – and they did threaten in spells against England – they have a platform.

Jordan enjoy the stage, pay for openness

Jordan’s debut ended with elimination after two games, losses to Austria and Algeria sealing their fate.

They did score in all three matches, including against Argentina, but never managed to choke the life out of games the way other debutants did behind inspired goalkeepers. Their ambition came at a cost.

Haiti return, and want more

Haiti’s first World Cup since 1974 ended in the group stage, but not without moments. Already eliminated, they played with abandon against Morocco and lost 4-2, with Sunderland’s Wilson Isidor scoring a goal to remember.

Drawn with two top-10 nations in Morocco and Brazil, they will hope the next campaign brings a kinder path.

Qatar unravel after bright start

Qatar began with a credible point against Switzerland and then fell apart. A 6-0 defeat to Canada, featuring two red cards, was one of the worst displays of the group stage.

A 3-1 loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina confirmed their exit. Julen Lopetegui couldn’t build on that opening draw, and a tournament that started with hope ended in familiar disappointment.

Iraq outclassed, but not silent

Iraq’s group contained Haaland and Mbappe. They never got close.

The highlight came against Norway, when captain Aymen Hussein scored shortly after being held for several hours by U.S. immigration officials on arrival. It was a brief, defiant moment in a harsh campaign.

Defeat to Senegal, sealed within minutes and compounded by a red card, and a 5-0 loss to France closed their first World Cup since 1986.

Tunisia’s campaign falls apart

Tunisia endured a miserable tournament. A 5-1 opening defeat to Sweden cost Sabri Lamouchi his job. Herve Renard stepped in, but heavy losses to Japan and the Netherlands followed.

They finished with a minus-10 goal difference, better only than Iraq. For a nation that has become a regular at this level, this was a step backwards.

Now the field narrows. England, patched up and braced, stand in Haaland’s path. Norway, with history already made, sense there is more to take. In a World Cup that has shredded reputations and created new heroes, whose story runs longest from here?