"At this stage, if you lose it is a disaster," Harry Kane admitted, and his words sum up the pressure bearing down on England ahead of their quarter-final against Norway. In Miami, where the Three Lions kick off at 10pm on Saturday with a semi-final place on the line, searing heat and thunderstorms are forecast — yet the temperature inside the camp runs hotter still. The biggest headache is Jarell Quansah's surprise two-match ban, one even Thomas Tuchel cannot account for. "We also have no explanation," the manager conceded. England have lost Jordan Henderson too, the midfielder breaking his wrist and arm while celebrating the win over Mexico. Even so, Declan Rice, Marc Guéhi and Reece James were back in full training, and Sir David Beckham turned up at the base in person to lift the mood.
Tuchel insists "the public love this team," though the reality is blunter — supporters want one thing only, and that is the trophy. A heavyweight duel lies ahead: Harry Kane, now level with Wayne Rooney's scoring record, against Erling Haaland, a striker Jamie Carragher rates as "the greatest goalscorer" of the lot. England need to prove who they are, and they need to do it now. The clock is ticking. Should Tuchel's side fail to clear this hurdle, Miami's tropical rain will wash over them as a symbol of failure.
