Norway’s Erling Haaland participates in a training session ahead of the team’s quarterfinal World Cup soccer match against England Friday, July 10, 2026, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
| Photo Credit: AP
England captain Harry Kane labelled Erling Haaland “a machine” but said he and Norway’s “beast” of a number nine are completely different players as they prepare to face off in Saturday’s (July 11, 2026) World Cup quarter-final.
Haaland has struck seven times in his first four matches ever at a major tournament, including a devastating double to eliminate Brazil, and his goals have carried Norway into the last eight for the first time.
Kane is only one goal behind the Manchester City striker for the tournament and has taken his overall World Cup record to 14 goals.
“I think we’re completely different players. I know we’re both strikers, but we’re in almost two different positions,” Kane told his pre-match press conference.
“Erling is incredible, his goalscoring record, physically he’s a machine, he’s a beast. His finishing is at the highest level and his goalscoring record speaks for itself.
“I see myself as a different player, although I score the same goals. I like to maybe touch the ball a little bit more, be involved with the play a little bit more, but also can play as maybe the out-and-out number nine.
“I don’t think it’s one to compare ourselves. I respect him a lot as a player and as a professional. Obviously, I’m hoping he has a quiet day tomorrow, but I think his overall performance is very good. He’s a fantastic player.”
Despite their phenomenal goalscoring record, Haaland and Kane trail Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, who have both netted eight times in the 2026 tournament, in the battle for the Golden Boot.
Kane won the prize for the World Cup’s top goalscorer in 2018 but England fell short of glory as they exited in the semi-finals to Croatia.
Ending a 60-year wait for England to win a major tournament remains Kane’s primary aim, but he is hoping to score the goals to carry the Three Lions to glory.
“I think it’s been an amazing World Cup on that front in terms of all the top strikers, all the top goalscorers scoring goals and affecting games. It’s not always the case at these major tournaments,” added the Bayern Munich striker.
“It’s a great competition. It puts me in a mindset to be at my very best level as much as possible.
“My main goal is to win the World Cup more than another golden boot, but I also know I’m a goalscorer, I’m the number nine, so if I’m scoring goals, it’s obviously going to help the team.”
Kane has been the spearhead for a generation of England players that have come closer than ever before to ending the long wait since the 1966 World Cup to win a major tournament.
Under Gareth Southgate they lost in both the last two finals of the European Championship and exited at the quarter-final and semi-final stage of the past two World Cups.
Kane issued a rallying cry for a huge final effort to get over the line in what could be three games in eight days to make history.
“Ultimately, until we win that trophy, there’s always going to be that talk around England and the team but we’re in a good position. We’re in a place that we wanted to be six weeks ago when we met up for prep camp,” he added.
“We took a lot of good steps in the right direction. We’ve overcome a lot of difficult moments and difficult games.
“Now we’re in the final eight days of the final push. We’re going to need everyone to be at the highest level to achieve our dreams.”
Published – July 11, 2026 08:55 am IST
