After overcoming Mexico in a round-of-16 classic, England will meet Norway in the World Cup quarterfinals on Saturday. England will look to captain Harry Kane to make an impact, and must also try to contain Erling Haaland — something no national side has managed in nearly two years, according to ESPN.
Haaland leads the Golden Boot race with seven goals, level with Kylian Mbappé, one behind Lionel Messi and one clear of Kane, according to ESPN. He has reached that total in one fewer game than each of them after being rested in Norway’s final group match against France when coach Ståle Solbakken made 10 changes, according to ESPN.
Statistically, Haaland has been more prolific per minute at the tournament, averaging 1.8 goals per 90 minutes to Kane’s 1.2, and carrying an expected goals (xG) of 4.4 compared with Kane’s 3.4, according to ESPN. All seven of Haaland’s strikes have come from open play; two of Kane’s goals — against Croatia and Mexico — have been penalties, according to ESPN. Haaland’s long-range effort against Brazil was the only time either player scored from outside the box at this World Cup, according to ESPN.
Kane has enjoyed an outstanding 2025-26 campaign at club level after his move to Bayern Munich in 2023. His penalty versus Mexico took him to 73 goals for club and country this season, a total that sits one ahead of Gerd Müller’s 1972-73 mark and second only to Lionel Messi’s 82 in 2011-12, and helped Bayern secure a league and cup double, according to ESPN. Haaland won the Premier League Golden Boot for the third time in four seasons with 27 goals and has 58 goals in 63 appearances this season — 38 for Manchester City and 20 in 11 games for Norway, according to ESPN.
Both forwards have dominated at international level. Haaland is amid a 14-game competitive scoring streak dating to a 4-1 Nations League win over Slovenia in November 2024 and has 27 goals in that run, including multiple braces, hat tricks and a five-goal game; he has 62 goals in 54 caps and is Norway’s all-time top scorer, nearly double the tally of the next player, Jørgen Juve, according to ESPN. Kane is England’s leading scorer with 85 goals from 119 caps, 32 more than Wayne Rooney, and his goal against Panama made him England’s top scorer at World Cups, overtaking Gary Lineker, according to ESPN.
