The six decades since England’s lone World Cup triumph will come into sharper focus as they face up against a Norway team with one of the best strikers in the game but happy to embrace the underdog role.
Erling Haaland has been one of the stars of the tournament with his seven goals taking Norway into uncharted territory at their first World Cup for 28 years — his double against Brazil in the round of 16 already the stuff of internet memes.
England will think they have more overall quality and are far more familiar with this stage of major tournaments, having reached the quarter-finals or better at three World Cups and two European Championships in the last eight years.
The 1966 World Cup triumph on home soil remains their only major international title, however, and expectations back home reach fever pitch every time they make the business end of a tournament.
England showed that they have developed a strong team spirit when, despite being reduced to 10 men, they beat co-hosts Mexico in the last 16 with a backs-against-the-wall win rated by many as the country’s finest at a World Cup.
The dramatic victory took its toll, however, with Jarell Quansah handed a two-match ban for his red card, leaving coach Thomas Tuchel pondering a paucity of options at right back.
In captain Harry Kane, though, England have their own world-class striker looking to add to his tournament tally of six goals at Miami Stadium, while midfielder Jude Bellingham has really come into his own at this World Cup.
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