Miami, July 11 (IANS) England head coach Thomas Tuchel and captain Harry Kane said on Friday that they are prepared for a difficult challenge against Norway in their World Cup quarterfinal.

Speaking at a press conference in Miami on Friday, Tuchel confirmed that his squad is almost at full strength for Saturday’s match.

“Everyone was available in training, which is exactly what we want,” Tuchel was quoted by Xinhua as saying. “We have a full squad to choose from, apart from our suspended player, Jarell Quansah.”

Quansah will miss the game following a red card in England’s 3-2 victory over Mexico in the round of 16. Despite the loss of the defender, Tuchel emphasized that the team remains focused on their ultimate goal.

“We took a big step in our last match, but it was only one step. We are still hungry and have a big objective. The next step is to win the quarterfinal,” the coach added.

Tuchel also praised Kane’s leadership.

“He is our leader and our captain. He leads by example,” Tuchel said of Kane. “He is in the form of his life and at the highest point of his career, which helps us enormously.”

Acknowledging the challenge ahead, Kane warned that Norway, returning to the World Cup after a 28-year absence, is a team “riding a wave of freedom and confidence.”

“They are very well coached, both with and without the ball. It is our job to try to find weaknesses and identify changes in their structure. We want to impose our game tomorrow,” said the captain.

The match is highlighted by the high-profile duel between Kane and Norway’s star striker Erling Haaland. Currently, Haaland has seven goals in the tournament, one ahead of Kane. Both are chasing leaders Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, who have eight goals each.

“Erling has been incredible. Physically, he is a machine and a beast,” Kane said. “I see myself as a different type of 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 No. 9.

“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.”

Kane won the prize for the World Cup’s top goalscorer in 2018 but England was eliminated in the semifinals.

“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 No. 9, so if I’m scoring goals, it’s obviously going to help the team,” he said.

England’s recent record in major tournaments is strong. The team reached the 2018 World Cup semifinals and the 2022 quarterfinals. They also finished runners-up in the European Championships in both 2020 and 2024.

“A lot of these players have played in big games and experienced big moments,” Kane said. “I think we are better prepared for this situation.”

The winner of Saturday’s match will progress to the semifinals to face either Argentina or Switzerland.

–IANS

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