MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Norway did not view Saturday’s World Cup quarterfinal match against England as fulfilling its expectations.
Until this year, the red, white and blue team had not played in the tournament since reaching the last 16 in 1998, their best result at a World Cup to date. Still, expectations from outsiders are high for the 2026 squad, led by 25-year-old sensation Erling Haaland, despite nearly 30 years apart.
There is a widespread belief in some soccer circles that the Norwegians’ goal should be to reach the quarter-finals. But head coach Stolle Solbakken says such an idea is foolish. “It was nonsense in relation to the fact that someone who hasn’t been to a World Cup in 28 years, if you look at which countries are left, it’s a given,” Solbakken said on Friday, July 10. “Then it’s not so easy to play football on a global scale… But we said each match lives its own life, and we accepted that” match by match. ”
Solbakken said he wanted his team to just play on Saturday and focus on the pitch, rather than the Hard Rock Stadium environment or stories like Haaland vs. England superstar Harry Kane.
For Norway and Solbakken, we know that success is by no means guaranteed as the World Cup progresses. The deeper you get into the tournament, the more pressure there is and the more important each match is perceived to be. Still, Norway is willing to embrace the moment and the pressure that comes with it. That’s what we need at this moment.
“I think every game in this World Cup has been the most important and the best for Norwegian football, especially since we entered the knockout stages. So this is the third ‘most important’ game and I think the players are relaxed but in a competitive mood,” Solbakken said.
“So I think they’ve struck a great balance. They’re looking forward to the game, but of course they should also feel the pressure, because I don’t think they can be at their best if they don’t have a little bit of pressure. But I think they have a very good mix of looking forward to the game and feeling a little bit of pressure.”
