England survived the Azteca with 10 men and 33.2% possession, their lowest recorded figure at a World Cup, and still beat Mexico 3-2. Norway went to the last 16 and knocked out Brazil. Both arrive in Miami on Saturday having done something few expected, and the winner meets Argentina or Switzerland in the semi-finals.
Jude Bellingham's brace and Harry Kane's penalty carried Tuchel's side through a night that had every excuse attached to it: a farcical kickoff time, altitude, a right-back crisis and Mexico's unbeaten tournament record. England defended and counter-attacked their way to an 11th World Cup quarter-final. They travel to Florida on a three-match winning run, having scored at least twice in each.
Norway are here on merit. Erling Haaland headed them in front against Brazil and then curled a second into the bottom corner from nothing. Neymar's 100th-minute penalty arrived far too late. Norway have never lost to Brazil in senior men's football, and they've now reached the last eight for the first time in their history.
Norway vs England: Key Stats
Head-to-head: England lead 7 wins to 2, and Norway have not scored in their last 4 meetings
England are unbeaten in 16 matches and have won their last 9 away games
England have scored 2+ goals in each of their last 5 away matches
Both teams have scored in each of Norway's last 7 matches
Haaland has converted 39% of his World Cup shots, the best rate of any player with 15+ attempts since 1986
Photo Credit (Getty Images)
What to Expect
Norway have scored and conceded in all five of their World Cup games, 12 for and nine against. Solbakken's 4-3-3 is built around getting Haaland and Sorloth on the pitch together, with Sander Berge driving the midfield and Odegaard linking play. The structure is designed to be awkward out of possession, but the goals-against column tells you they leave doors open.
England will not need much possession to hurt them. The Mexico performance showed a side comfortable defending deep and springing forward at pace, and Saka, Gordon and Bellingham are ideally suited to that. Kane remains the most reliable finisher left in the tournament.
The concern for England is history rather than form. Five of their last six World Cup knockout exits have come against European sides, including each of the last three. Norway, for their part, have never beaten a European team at a World Cup, and their only defeat here came against France.
Predicted Lineups
Norway (4-3-3)
Nyland; Ryerson, Ajer, Heggem, Wolfe; Berg, Berge; Bobb, Odegaard, Schjelderup; Haaland
England (4-2-3-1)
Pickford; Spence, Konsa, Guehi, O'Reilly; Rice, Anderson; Saka, Bellingham, Gordon; Kane
Players to Watch
Erling Haaland - Level with Mbappe and Messi on seven goals and finishing at a rate nobody has matched at a World Cup since Gary Lineker in 1986. He needs barely a chance to score. England's centre-backs cannot afford a single lapse in concentration.
Jude Bellingham - Was the difference in Mexico City with two goals from midfield, and he arrives at the ideal moment. His timing into the box is what turns England's counter-attacks into goals rather than half-chances.
Martin Odegaard - The creative link between Norway's midfield and Haaland, and everything they build passes through him. Declan Rice's job is to make sure it does not.
Harry Kane - Converted from the spot again in the last 16 and remains England's most dependable route to a goal. Against a Norway defence that has conceded in every match here, he will get opportunities.
Prediction
Prediction: Over 2.5 goals @ 1.75
Both teams have scored in each of Norway's last seven matches, and England have hit two or more in five straight away games. Norway have conceded nine goals in five World Cup outings while scoring 12. Neither defence has looked capable of shutting a game down.
England hold the head-to-head advantage and the better structure, and Norway have never beaten a European side at this tournament. But Haaland's finishing rate makes a clean sheet unlikely, and England's counter-attacking will find space against a side that commits forward. Goals at both ends look the safest read, with England edging through.