When England step out for their World Cup quarter-final clash with Norway, all eyes will be on one player – Erling Haaland.
The Manchester City forward remains one of the most prolific hitmen in world football, able to turn a game in a heartbeat with his physical presence, intelligent movement, and lethal finishing. But a handful of Thomas Tuchel’s England squad faced off against the Norwegian goal machine during the 2025/26 season, so they’ll be armed with some firsthand experience.
Here’s how five England defenders performed in the battles against Haaland last season:
Ezri Konsa kept Haaland quiet in Villa victory
One of the most dominant defensive displays against Haaland last season came when Aston Villa hosted Manchester City in October. England international Ezri Konsa was an imposing figure throughout, limiting Haaland’s chances as Villa edged to an impressive 1-0 victory. The pair completed the 90 minutes, but Konsa came out on top against the prolific City striker. Such performances haven’t gone unnoticed, and Villa teammate Morgan Rogers recently labelled the defender “one of the best centre-backs in football,” believing he can again frustrate Haaland on the international stage.
Marc Guehi endured a tough afternoon at Selhurst Park
Before he was a City teammate, Marc Guehi found himself up against Haaland when captaining Crystal Palace in December. It proved to be a trying afternoon for the England defender as Haaland delivered a clinical display, scoring twice as Pep Guardiola’s men earned a 3-0 win at Selhurst Park, highlighting how the Norwegian striker can punish well-drilled defences.
Dan Burn matched Haaland before the striker made his mark
Dan Burn came face to face with Haaland on two occasions over the season. After missing the first leg of the EFL Cup semi-final, Burn started the second, delivering a composed performance and keeping the City striker largely contained until he was substituted in the 71st minute of City’s 3-1 win. Burn impressed with his showing despite the result, and faced Haaland again in the Premier League weeks later. After picking up an early yellow, Haaland failed to get on the scoresheet but set up Nico O’Reilly for the winner.
Djed Spence helped shut down City’s attack
Tottenham Hotspur provided one of last season’s shock results by overcoming Manchester City 2-0 at the Etihad Stadium. Djed Spence produced a disciplined and energetic performance at right-back, helping to keep Haaland under wraps. The Norwegian struggled to make an impact, with Spence playing the full 90 minutes in a standout team performance.
Reece James prevented Haaland from scoring
Chelsea captain Reece James also had success in denying Haaland last term, keeping the Manchester City star out across their two meetings. While Haaland was unsuccessful in finding the net in these encounters, he did have an influence, laying on an assist for Antoine Semenyo in the FA Cup final, where City beat Chelsea to clinch the trophy. James’s effectiveness in negating the threat of the striker will offer further confidence to England.
Can England keep Haaland quiet again?
Shutting down Erling Haaland is rarely the work of a single individual, it takes a coordinated, disciplined and focused effort across the entire defensive structure. With Ezri Konsa, Marc Guehi, Dan Burn, Djed Spence and Reece James having faced Haaland at club level last season, England will hope that their experience can be replicated. For Thomas Tuchel’s side to secure a place in the World Cup semi-finals, neutralizing the threat of Haaland may be key once again.
