World Cup quarterfinals today: Schedule, predictions, Haaland’s viral rise

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France and Spain have already booked their places in the last four, leaving four teams battling to complete the semifinal lineup. England and Argentina head into their quarterfinals as favourites according to the Opta supercomputer, but both Norway and Switzerland will look to pull off another upset. Here’s everything you need to know. England and Norway meet in the World Cup for the first time, although they have faced each other 12 times overall. England hold the upper hand with eight wins to Norway’s two, and the Scandinavians have failed to score in any of the last four meetings. Their most recent encounter ended in a 1-0 friendly victory for England in September 2014. The Opta supercomputer makes England the favourites to reach the semifinals, giving the Three Lions a 50.4 percent chance of winning the match inside 90 minutes based on 25,000 pre-match simulations. England’s overall probability of progressing, including extra time and penalties, rises to 62.3 percent. Norway are given a 25.1 percent chance of winning in normal time, while a draw after 90 minutes occurred in 24.6 percent of the simulations. History strongly favours Argentina heading into this quarterfinal. The defending champions are unbeaten in seven previous meetings with Switzerland, winning five and drawing two. Opta makes Argentina favourites to book a place in the semifinals. Based on 25,000 pre-match simulations, the supercomputer gives Lionel Messi’s side a 57.1 percent chance of winning inside 90 minutes. Switzerland are assigned an 18.7 percent probability of winning in normal time, while 24.2 percent of simulations end in a draw after 90 minutes. Overall, Argentina progress to the semifinals in 69.4 percent of simulations, leaving Switzerland with a 30.6 percent chance of advancing to face either England or Norway. Fans are embracing the historical “Vikings battle” narrative for the England vs Norway match. Portugal have turned to veteran coach Jorge Jesus in a bid to revive the national team after its disappointing World Cup campaign. The Portuguese Football Federation confirmed on Friday that the 71-year-old will succeed Roberto Martinez, whose departure was announced earlier this week following Portugal’s 1-0 round-of-16 defeat to Spain. Jesus returns to international football after a long club career that included spells with Benfica, Sporting CP and, most recently, Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr, where he worked with Cristiano Ronaldo. His appointment comes amid growing scrutiny over Portugal’s World Cup performances and Martinez’s continued reliance on the 41-year-old Ronaldo, whose role as the focal point of the attack drew criticism from fans and pundits. Although Ronaldo said the 2026 World Cup would be his last, he has not announced whether he intends to continue playing for Portugal. Jesus, who described the five-time Ballon d’Or winner as “a symbol” of Portuguese sport, said he plans to speak with Ronaldo before any decisions are made about his international future. Haaland has unexpectedly become an honorary Mexican on social media after embracing fans still reeling from Mexico’s World Cup exit at the hands of England. The Norway striker has leaned into the jokes, responding to posts from Mexican supporters who have adopted Norway as their team for the quarterfinal. After one viral video paired footage of Haaland performing the traditional Viking clap with banda music, he replied from his official account: “I hear you 🇲🇽🌮.” The online love affair grew even stronger when another fan urged him to eliminate England on Mexico’s behalf. Haaland responded with a phrase that has become a rallying cry among Mexican supporters during this World Cup: “Y si si? 🇲🇽😉” (“What if I do?”). Morocco’s World Cup journey ended in the quarterfinals with a 2-0 defeat to France, falling short of repeating the historic semifinal run that captured global attention four years ago. The Atlas Lions were once again stopped by Les Bleus, but their campaign still marked another milestone. Morocco became the first African nation to reach consecutive World Cup quarterfinals, having knocked out the Netherlands before eventually bowing out in Boston. Attention now turns to 2030, when Morocco will cohost the World Cup alongside Portugal and Spain and will qualify automatically as hosts. “We have a young team that wants to improve and will continue to do so,” Ouahbi said after the defeat. “We have talented players who will help us keep growing.” Harry Kane played down comparisons with Haaland on the eve of England’s World Cup quarterfinal against Norway, insisting the two strikers are too different to judge against one another. The meeting also carries extra significance in the race for the Golden Boot. Haaland has scored seven goals at the tournament, one more than Kane, with both chasing leaders Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, who have eight each. Asked who was the better striker, Kane declined to give a direct answer. “We’re completely different players,” the England captain said. “We’re both number nines, but we play in different ways. I like to get on the ball more, while still being able to play as an out-and-out striker.” Instead, Kane praised Haaland’s remarkable goalscoring ability. “Physically, he’s a machine, a beast. His finishing is at the highest level and his goalscoring record speaks for itself,” Kane said. “I have a lot of respect for him, although hopefully he has a quiet day tomorrow.” France may be just two matches away from another World Cup title, but captain Kylian Mbappe believes comparisons with the country’s greatest teams are premature. Les Bleus booked their place in the semifinals with a composed 2-0 victory over Morocco, continuing an impressive tournament in which Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele have combined for 13 goals. Yet the France captain insisted this generation still has to earn its place in history. “I won the World Cup in 2018 and finished runner-up in 2022, but this team hasn’t achieved anything yet,” Mbappe said. “It probably has the greatest potential because there is so much quality in the squad, but potential alone doesn’t make you the strongest team.” One of the World Cup’s most unexpected storylines has little to do with tactics or trophies. When England’s Jude Bellingham and Norway’s Erling Haaland meet in Saturday’s quarterfinal, fans will be watching more than just two of football’s brightest stars. Their friendship, forged during their time together at Borussia Dortmund, has become one of the tournament’s most talked-about off-field narratives. Old videos of the pair joking, hugging and celebrating together have resurfaced across social media, delighting fans and offering a rare glimpse of genuine friendship between two players now preparing to stand on opposite sides of one of the World Cup’s biggest matches. Advertisement AboutAboutShow moreAbout UsCode of EthicsTerms and ConditionsEU/EEA Regulatory NoticePrivacy PolicyCookie PolicyCookie PreferencesAccessibility StatementSitemapWork for usConnectConnectShow moreContact UsUser Accounts HelpAdvertise with usStay ConnectedNewslettersChannel FinderTV SchedulePodcastsSubmit a TipPaid Partner ContentOur ChannelsOur ChannelsShow moreAl Jazeera ArabicAl Jazeera EnglishAl Jazeera Investigative UnitAl Jazeera MubasherAl Jazeera DocumentaryAl Jazeera BalkansAJ+Our NetworkOur NetworkShow moreAl Jazeera Centre for StudiesAl Jazeera Media InstituteLearn ArabicAl Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human RightsAl Jazeera ForumAl Jazeera Hotel PartnersFollow Al Jazeera English: