Norway talisman Erling Haaland and England captain Harry Kane have spearheaded their sides into to the last eight at the 2026 FIFA World Cup and remain locked in the race for the Golden Boot alongside France’s Kylian Mbappé and Argentina’s Lionel Messi.
The Vikings have been one of the stories of the tournament after reaching their first World Cup quarter-final on their return to the competition after 28 years, with Haaland at the heart of their historic run.
The prolific Manchester City striker, competing at his first World Cup, has scored seven of Norway’s 12 goals, including a stunning late double that sent five-time champions Brazil crashing out in the last 16.
Kane, meanwhile, trails Haaland by just one goal as he targets his first Golden Boot since 2018.
Mbappé and Messi currently lead the standings with eight goals each, but Kane’s impact has been just as significant, scoring at crucial times to see the Three Lions past Croatia in the group stage and DR Congo and Mexico in the knockouts.
Speaking to reporters during a pre-match press conference in Miami on Friday (10 July), Norway head coach Ståle Solbakken said Saturday’s quarter-final clash will ultimately be decided by a showdown between the two number nines.
“I think it’s Norway versus England, but I don’t think it’s a secret that Kane is the match winner number one for England, and Haaland is match winner number one for us,” he said.
READ MORE: https://www.olympics.com/en/news/fifa-world-cup-2026-erling-haaland-harry-kane-golden-boot-england-norway-semi-final-spot
