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Thomas Tuchel has expressed his astonishment at Erling Haaland’s pre-match remarks ahead of England’s World Cup quarter-final against Norway. The German coach emphasised that his team is well-equipped to cope with rising expectations after the Norwegian striker tried to shift all the pressure onto the Three Lions by publicly downplaying his own side’s chances.

In the build-up to the clash in Miami, Haaland has sought to transfer the burden of pressure onto England. Despite Norway’s impressive run in the tournament, which included a stunning victory over Brazil in the round of 16, the forward claimed his team had only a slim chance of winning.

During a pre-game interview with NRK, the prolific striker reinforced Norway’s underdog image, stating: “There is a very low probability that we will win. I think all of you should put all the pressure on England.”

Tuchel admitted he was taken aback by the comments, saying he found it unusual for a player of Haaland’s stature to attempt to avoid media scrutiny before such an important encounter. Speaking to NRK, the England boss said: “I’m surprised that Erling said that, because I’ve always thought he enjoys pressure and performs best under it. I’m surprised that he’s trying to push it onto us.”

The 50-year-old manager added: “We love the pressure. It’s part of the game. I don’t spend any time thinking about who the favourite is or where the pressure lies. I know very well that internally they are preparing to win the match. Why wouldn’t they?”

Haaland’s modest tone before the match contrasts sharply with his dominant form on the field, where he has already netted seven goals in just four World Cup appearances. If he scores against England, he could match the historic tournament goal records set by James Rodriguez and Gerd Muller.

England, on the other hand, are looking to overcome their recurring struggles in knockout matches against European opponents in major international competitions. The Three Lions will need to remain composed and defensively solid to stop the relentless attacking threat led by Haaland.

The winner of the Miami quarter-final will advance to the semi-finals to face either Argentina or Switzerland, who meet at the Kansas City Stadium. England, unbeaten in their last seven games, will have to maintain their balance and discipline to continue their impressive run.

Norway manager Stale Solbakken also weighed in on the pressure debate during a press conference on Friday, saying: “I think England have more pressure than us, but we also put pressure on our performance. And when the match starts, players don’t think too much about pressure. It’s 11 against 11. It’s mostly something people talk about before the game.”