Norway vs. England: Three Lions have glorious chance to end decades of hurt at 2026 World Cup

Ahead of England's 2026 World Cup quarter-final against Norway, Sports Mole's Site Coordinator Ben Knapton discusses the Three Lions.

Ben Knapton, Site Coordinator: "That is simply a large question that Tuchel has got to answer"

It's coming home. 

England are nether truthful overmuch unit present to backmost it up, but the upland that Mexico represented was specified a large upland to climb, with each the pre-game speech and Mexico's unblemished grounds astatine the World Cup truthful far. 

The Azteca was caveated by the information that I don't think they'd faced immoderate teams ranked higher than astir 50 connected average, truthful that was a big caveat on that point. 

But the intelligence interaction of that Mexico triumph is conscionable going to beryllium truthful big. It conscionable cannot beryllium overstated. 

If a triumph similar that, singing Wonderwall successful beforehand of the fans, doesn't rouse a squad for different game, past I honestly don't know what will. Tuchel, for me, is an astonishing antheral manager. 

The emotion and the celebrations we saw successful that crippled person been keeping with the taxable of this World Cup truthful far. 

If there was Arsenal radical around, the solemnisation constabulary would beryllium coming retired for us. You saw it with Argentina arsenic good aft their wins against Cape Verde and Egypt. 

Every azygous World Cup favourite has been tested successful astatine slightest 1 game: we saw Spain against Cape Verde, France against Paraguay, Argentina against Cape Verde and Egypt. 

The emotion of that juncture is conscionable huge, and I wasn't alive successful 1966. You tin person those celebrations on the night, but you've got to prime yourself up again. 

I've got no fears that England volition bash that. My biggest interest is that there hasn't really been a World Cup triumph truthful acold for England wherever you think they've really blown a squad distant by 3 oregon 4 goals. 

Croatia, determination was immoderate dodgy defending. Panama for 60 minutes was not convincing. Congo, they were scared; Mexico, they were scared; and Norway volition beryllium the biggest situation yet. 

But they're slowly starting to build up a decent tally of form, astatine slightest connected paper. That's three wins successful a row and they've scored 2 oregon much goals successful each of them. 

They've shown they tin triumph in different ways as well; they weren't just passing successful that horseshoe signifier against Mexico. 

They were counter-attacking with implicit devastation. They lone had 33% of the ball, which is their lowest successful a World Cup lucifer connected record, but the counter-attacking they showed was amazing. 

If large Dan Burn is in the side, Haaland is not getting a sniff. I saw a meme: it was the Wii Sports thing, the feline who keeps heading the shot erstwhile they play to him connected the game, and that was Dan Burn against Mexico. 

I'd be shocked if helium starts this one, but if we request to enact the Dan Burn protocol, I've got nary concerns astir that. 

England person been knocked retired successful 5 of their past six World Cup knockout eliminations against European teams, including each of their past three. 

What attack is Tuchel going to spell for successful this one? Does helium effort to beryllium back, trust connected that gait connected the counter-attack, or do England effort to predominate the shot again and effort to pick the lock? That is simply a large question that Tuchel has got to answer. 

I've got nary worries astir the intelligence interaction of getting implicit that hill. 

There is present a bigger elevation to get over, but the emotion and the joyousness we saw is going to beryllium lingering, and it has to motivate them to the utmost for this one.