Erling Haaland Is Norway’s World Cup Machine - and the Internet’s Favorite Meme

Everyone knows that England's master plan coming into the World Cup quarterfinals on Saturday will revolve around stopping Norway striker Erling Haaland.

As they would say in Norway, “Lykke til.” Translated: Good luck.

“Has anyone ever stopped Erling Haaland?” England midfielder Morgan Rogers asked, probably only somewhat rhetorically. “I’m not sure they have, but we’re going to try. You’re going to have to try.”

Stopping Haaland — who has seven goals in this year's World Cup, one behind France's Kylian Mbappé and Argentina's Lionel Messi for the most at the tournament — will be the primary subplot of the Norway-England match at Hard Rock Stadium.

Among the others: Haaland versus England’s Harry Kane in a striker showdown, a Norway team with no pressure versus an England team with enormous expectations, even British Airways versus Norwegian Air in a social media chirping battle. At stake for the teams is a berth in Wednesday's semifinals, with the winner to face either Argentina or Switzerland.

“I think it's Norway vs. England,” Norway coach Stale Solbakken said Friday, after his team went through its final walk-through before perhaps the biggest match in the nation's soccer history. “But I don't think it's a secret that Kane is match-leader No. 1 for England and Haaland is match-leader No. 1 for us.”

Indeed, there are two elite strikers in this game — not just one. England coach Thomas Tuchel raved about Kane on Friday, and rightly so. Kane has six goals so far in this year's World Cup.

“He's in the shape of his life and in the highest peak of his career,” Tuchel said.

When Haaland — who stands nearly 6-foot-5 — gets the ball in his preferred spots, opponents realize that stopping him is almost out of the question. He's too big, too strong, too skilled, and the ball is almost certainly going to find its way into the back of the net.

England's Nico O'Reilly — Haaland's teammate at Manchester City — has seen it happen time and again. And if there is a solution to the Haaland problem, O'Reilly might have the closest possible thing to an answer.

His plan: Don't let the ball get to him.

“We all know what he’s like,” O'Reilly said. “He can score goals, he's dangerous in the box, he’s a real threat. They need to get him the ball there first.”

Haaland — who didn't play for Norway in its loss to France in the group stage — has gotten his goals in bunches in this tournament. Against Iraq, his two goals came 14 minutes apart. Against Senegal, his two goals were 10 minutes apart. Against Brazil, his two goals were 11 minutes apart.

He was born in England; his father was playing for Leeds at that time. And Haaland certainly sees the significance.

“It’s a special game, definitely,” Haaland said. “I think, for me, it’s super special because I play in England and I’m born in England and I'll be playing against (Manchester City) teammates and everything.”

It's not just Haaland in that friends-turned-foes spot. There are nine players for Norway who play for clubs in England, so there will obviously be familiarity between the sides on Saturday.

“Everything is on the line,” O'Reilly said. “Everything is at stake.”

The teams got to Saturday's match in dramatic fashions, with Norway holding off perennial power and five-time World Cup champion Brazil 2-1 and England going into Mexico City and stunning previously unbeaten — and unscored-upon — co-host Mexico 3-2.

Both sides have acknowledged that coming down from the high of such wins took a little extra time.

“We discussed that we need to put the drama and the emotions of the Mexico game behind us,” England forward Bukayo Saka said. “Now we need to focus on Norway, which is going to be another tough challenge, a different challenge, and we’re fully focused.”

They might be close to fully loaded, too.

Declan Rice, Marc Guehi and Reece James, all sidelined in recent days, trained Friday and Tuchel said he anticipates having a “full choice” awaiting him when the lineup for Saturday gets decided.

England will be without defender Jarell Quansah as he begins serving his two-match suspension that was handed down after he got red-carded against Mexico in the round of 16.

Rice, Guehi and James all went through training Friday at Inter Miami's facility, with team co-owner David Beckham — a former England great — watching.

“I think there’s some clear favorites out there. England’s one of them,” Haaland said. “So, I think all of you should put every single (bit of) pressure on the English lads.”

Haaland said that with a smile, and that's been the case all tournament long. He's enjoying this, on the field and off.

He's a walking, talking meme, someone who draws tons of attention for everything he does and says. When English great Wayne Rooney said he'd row (a nod to Norway's rowing tradition) down the River Mersey if Norway beat Brazil, those words got to Haaland — who, according to reports in British media, has reminded Rooney that he's got some rowing to do.

All eyes will be on Haaland. England will have to figure out a way to solve him, or else its World Cup run will end in Miami.

“I think it’s the biggest challenge,” Rogers said, “but it’s a challenge that excites this group.”

Karolina Muchova and Linda Noskova will fight for the Wimbledon title on Saturday, but the Czech pair's bond will remain intact no matter who wins their first Grand Slam crown on Centre Court.

Muchova and Noskova have been friends for several years, spending time together off the court and playing doubles at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

For a few hours at the All England Club this weekend, that friendship will be put on hold, with a life-changing moment within touching distance in their first Wimbledon final.

"We got to know each other a lot during Olympics a couple of years ago. We spent a lot of time together because we played doubles and almost got the medal," Noskova said.

"Karolina is such a great fighter, such an incredible player, but mainly she is such a great person. I'm glad I can play my first final against her."

Whoever holds aloft the Venus Rosewater Dish on Saturday, it has been a remarkable tournament for two players who have grown close despite being at far different stages of their careers.

Muchova made her WTA main draw debut nine years ago and has been on the cusp of making her breakthrough at the Grand Slams several times.

The 29-year-old has lost several semi-finals and was beaten in three sets by Iga Swiatek in her only previous major final at the 2023 French Open.

Muchova, who had lost in the first round on her previous four appearances at Wimbledon, is at last unimpeded after suffering a multitude of injuries in recent years.

In 2022, doctors told Muchova that it would be a good idea for her to quit tennis altogether, while in 2023 and 2024 right wrist surgery sidelined her for 10 months.

Muchova takes "pills, sprays, eyedrops" to manage a grass allergy, but she is no longer adverse to playing on the surface.

"It's a very special moment. It's a great achievement," AFP quoted Muchova as saying after beating two-time Grand Slam champion Coco Gauff to reach the Wimbledon final.

"This is one of the biggest tournaments that we have with all the history."

In contrast to Muchova's litany of near-misses, Noskova is enjoying a meteoric rise.

The 21-year-old only made her Wimbledon debut in 2022 and now she is in her maiden Grand Slam final after dispatching Marta Kostyuk in the last four.

Noskova may not be a star just yet, but she has won more matches on grass than any other player on the WTA Tour in the past two years.

In the lead up to Wimbledon, she won the Berlin Open for her first grass-court title.

"When I play my best I know I can play with the best players in the world and a have a great result, which is a final in a Grand Slam I guess!" she said.

The Czech duo's run to the final has extended their country's rich history at Wimbledon despite a population of just 11 million.

For the third time in the last four years, a Czech woman will be Wimbledon champion following triumphs for Barbora Krejcikova in 2024 and Marketa Vondrousova in 2023.

Noskova was inspired by the success of her childhood idol Petra Kvitova, who won at the All England Club in 2011 and 2014.

Jana Novotna memorably won Wimbledon in 1998 after losing two previous finals. while Karolina Pliskova reached the 2021 final and Hana Mandlikova twice finished as runner-up in the 1980s.

"We have great history of Czech tennis," Muchova said. "Myself, when I was younger, looking up to the girls who were older than I was, you can just see them doing so well. It gave me the belief that I can as well do it."

Noskova added: "It's a tradition at this point. I would say we are brought up in the same way, with our game on grass allowing us to play any style."

On the cusp of Wimbledon glory, for either Muchova and Noskova, the lawns of south-west London will be hallowed turf forever.

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