World Cup 2026: Norway coach Ståle Solbakken wary despite growing confidence before England showdown

Norway head coach Ståle Solbakken believes his side’s familiarity with Premier League football will not necessarily provide an advantage when they face England in Saturday’s World Cup quarter-final.

Norway arrive at the last-eight tie with several players who compete in England’s top flight, including striker Erling Haaland of Manchester City and captain Martin Ødegaard, who helped Arsenal win the Premier League title last season.

Despite that experience, Solbakken insists it should not be viewed as a decisive factor against England.

The Norwegian manager pointed out that two of England’s standout performers are based outside the Premier League. Harry Kane currently plays for Bayern Munich in Germany, while Jude Bellingham represents Real Madrid in Spain.

Kane has enjoyed an outstanding tournament, scoring six goals to remain firmly in contention for the Golden Boot. Bellingham has also impressed, contributing four goals, including two in England’s 3-2 victory over Mexico in the Round of 16.

“I don’t know if it’s an advantage. Some of our players have obviously faced several England internationals,” Solbakken explained at Wednesday’s press conference.

“The two best English players might not even be playing in the Premier League. They play in Spain and Germany, so you can also analyze things that way.”

Norway head into the contest with renewed belief after defeating Brazil 2-1 in the Round of 16, a victory that secured the country’s first-ever place in the quarter-finals of a World Cup.

Even so, Solbakken has warned his players against becoming complacent despite the historic achievement.

“I think it gave us more confidence, but every game has its own story,” he said.

“I don’t think a single team we’ve faced so far has underestimated us in this World Cup. Every team does its analysis, sometimes several, so there are no secrets. That will also be the case for this match.”

The coach also delivered a positive update on the condition of his squad after earlier concerns over player fitness.

“Everything is fine now, all the players are healthy. No player is sick,” he assured.

Solbakken also highlighted Haaland’s influence within the squad beyond his goals. The Manchester City striker has scored seven times during the tournament and sits second in the race for the Golden Boot behind Lionel Messi, who has eight.

“He’s one of the members of the group. He’s been with this generation since the youth categories, in the under-16, under-17 and under-18 teams.

Many of these players grew up together and shared a large part of their journey. They are fully enjoying this adventure,” Solbakken concluded.