One of the most fearsome strikers in world football stands between the England national team and reaching the semi-finals of the 2026 World Cup. But the reassuring aspect for head coach Thomas Tuchel’s side is that few teams know Erling Haaland as well as the English players do. The prolific Norwegian striker has spent the past four years terrorizing Premier League defenses in a Manchester City shirt, scoring goals at exceptional rates, becoming a familiar opponent for many 'Three Lions' players. Haaland, 25, combines physical strength, speed, and lethal finishing in front of goal – qualities that make him a constant threat. With the player having scored seven goals in the tournament so far, England know that giving him any space in Saturday’s match in Miami could be extremely costly. When asked how to stop Haaland, England midfielder Morgan Rogers replied: 'Has anyone ever stopped Erling Haaland? I’m not sure, but we’ll try.' He added to journalists on Wednesday: 'He’s an incredible player. The numbers and achievements he has reflect his quality. Maybe we need to focus on limiting the passes that reach him and reducing the chances he gets, because he’s a killer in front of goal.' Rogers’ side Aston Villa have managed to deny Haaland a goal in their last four visits to Manchester City at Villa Park, though the 23-year-old attributed that partly to luck. He also pointed out that the Norwegian team has other dangerous players, including Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard, who can make a difference. England will enter the match with great confidence after their thrilling 3-2 victory over Mexico in the round of 16, despite playing most of the game with ten men – a match that produced one of the team’s best World Cup performances in recent years. The England team returned to their base in Kansas City in the early hours of Monday morning after a match that Rogers described as physically and mentally draining. He added: 'The main message in the first training session after returning was that we want to keep winning and move forward in the tournament. We can still develop and improve.' England players appeared happy with the return of experienced midfielder Jordan Henderson to the camp after he underwent arm surgery following an injury sustained during post-match celebrations in Mexico City.