Thomas Tuchel has dismissed Erling Haaland's assertion that England are the clear favourites to reach the World Cup semi-finals, as the two sides prepare to clash in Miami on Saturday. The England head coach acknowledged Norway's overperformance but stressed that internal belief within the Norwegian camp makes them a formidable opponent.
Haaland's Tournament Form and Comments
Haaland has been in scintillating form, scoring seven goals in four appearances, including a brace in Norway's historic 2-1 victory over Brazil in the last 16. That win marked Norway's first-ever progression beyond the round of 16 at a World Cup. Off the pitch, Haaland has embraced the tournament atmosphere, sharing photos of himself in a cowboy hat and a T-shirt reading 'Y'all can kiss my Dallas' during a shopping trip. On Thursday, he told the media: 'There are some clear favourites out there and England are one of them. So I think all of you should put every single pressure on the English lads.'
Tuchel's Response and Favourites Debate
Tuchel countered: 'Norway overperform. But internally they know very well how good they are. They proved it. They eliminated a big, big, big nation on a big stage. And from there on, there is no such thing any more as favourites.' He added that England are not playing with fear and that the pressure does not weigh on his players. 'We're not thinking in this matter,' Tuchel said. 'No matter who is on the other side, no matter if we are favourites or not or if the pressure is on.'
Tuchel's History with Haaland
Tuchel has personal experience of Haaland's threat. In the 2019-20 Champions League last 16, Haaland scored both goals for Borussia Dortmund in a 2-1 first-leg win over Tuchel's Paris Saint-Germain, though PSG overturned the deficit. More recently, in the 2022-23 Champions League quarter-finals, Haaland scored in both legs for Manchester City against Tuchel's Bayern Munich, with City winning 4-1 on aggregate. Reflecting on the challenge, Tuchel said: 'You can't avoid focusing on him. There is so much quality in his moments and you have to make decisions.' He detailed Haaland's aerial and physical prowess, noting that defenders must choose between zonal marking or physical contact, both of which Haaland can overcome.
England's Identity and Performance
Tuchel admitted England need to improve. 'We need to play better. We need to spend more time in the opponent's half. We struggle too much to overcome a high press of the opponent. We need to be better in the deep buildup, in the high press. More connected.' He attributed the struggles to overthinking: 'We are thinking about the pass and then it is already half a second too late. The gap is not there any more. We are a bit overprotecting, overthinking and we need to get rid of that.'
Weather and Preparation
The match in Miami is expected to see temperatures reaching 34°C at kick-off, a challenge England have not faced in the tournament so far, having played in air-conditioned arenas or rain. Tuchel is confident the team's warm-weather training in Florida will help. 'When we stepped out of the plane in Miami, we expected it to feel painful. Maybe we are still lucky and we get another dark cloud over the stadium and full rain. But the science says that we banked a lot of heat training. We haven't lost that.'
Norway's Strengths and England's Expectations
Tuchel acknowledged that Norway are riding a wave of confidence after their victory over Brazil. England, ranked fourth in the world with a squad valued at £1.25bn, are expected to win, while Norway are ranked 19th with a squad worth £502.56m. Tuchel's message is for England to play with freedom. 'It's time to take the handbrake off,' he said. 'To find a liberation after the slog of the tournament until now. To click as the team did in the 5-0 victory over Serbia in Belgrade.'
