England is preparing to contain Norway’s prolific forward Erling Haaland ahead of their World Cup quarterfinal meeting on July 11 in Miami. Haaland, who plays for Manchester City, has been a dominant force in the tournament, scoring seven goals in four matches and finding the net in every game he has participated in so far.

England midfielder Morgan Rogers acknowledged the challenge Haaland presents but emphasized the team’s intent to try to neutralize his impact. “Has anyone ever stopped Erling Haaland? I’m not sure they have, but we’re going to try,” Rogers said during a news conference on July 8. He highlighted Haaland’s exceptional scoring ability and the difficulty in denying Norway’s key forward opportunities in front of goal.

Rogers also noted that while his club Aston Villa, including teammate Ezri Konsa, has managed to keep Haaland from scoring in their recent Premier League encounters, the international match will present a different scenario. “Every game is a different game,” he said, underlining the distinct tactical approaches at the World Cup compared to club play.

Beyond Haaland, Rogers cautioned against underestimating Norway’s overall squad strength. “They’ve got other good players as well that we play against regularly in the Premier League,” he said. “Their biggest strength is their unity as a team, how strong they are collectively.”

England will rely on a balanced team effort, with Rogers often coming off the bench as an attacking substitute. The English side’s leading striker, Harry Kane, has also been in excellent form. The 32-year-old Bayern Munich forward has scored six goals in the tournament, placing him just behind Haaland in the Golden Boot race. Kane has been pivotal in key moments, including scoring from the penalty spot and providing assists in England’s recent victories over Congo and Mexico.

Rogers expressed confidence in Kane’s ability to lead the attack and edged him as having the upper hand in the ongoing debate comparing the two strikers. “The Harry Kane-Haaland debate will live on,” Rogers said. “They’re two of the best players at this tournament, and it’s going to be a good one to see who comes out on top. Hopefully, it’s Harry.”

England aims to replicate or improve on its recent World Cup performances, having reached the semifinals in 2018 before losing to Croatia and falling in the quarterfinals in 2022 to France. Norway, meanwhile, has yet to reach a Men’s World Cup semifinal.

The quarterfinal match between England and Norway is set to kick off on July 11 at 5 p.m. Eastern Time in Miami.