Erling Haaland walked into a press conference on July 9 and did what elite athletes do best: made the story about someone else. The Manchester City striker declared that England, not Norway, should feel the weight of World Cup expectations heading into their quarter-final clash in Miami this Saturday.

“I think there are some clear favourites out there. England is one of them, so I think every single one of you should put every single pressure on the English lads,” Haaland told reporters.

Norway’s unlikely run, which included a stunning upset over Brazil in the round of 16, is exactly the kind of result that preceded Haaland’s comments. Haaland himself admitted the tournament journey has been “quite surprising even for me.”

England manager Thomas Tuchel now faces intensified scrutiny. His squad has to carry the favourite tag into a knockout game against a team with nothing to lose and a generational striker leading the line.