Harry Kane says he and Erling Haaland are not the same kind of striker, even if both arrive at the World Cup quarterfinals with goal totals that demand attention. The England captain used the build-up to Saturday’s meeting with Norway to stress that his own game is more involved in buildup play, while Haaland is a force defined by physical power and finishing.
“I think we are completely different players,” Kane said in the pre-match press conference ahead of Norway-Inglaterra. “Erling physically is a machine, he is a beast. His finishing is at the highest level and, obviously, his goal record speaks for itself.”
Kane says his value goes beyond goals
Kane, who has scored six goals in five matches at the tournament, said he sees himself as a different type of No. 9. He added that he feels he gets more involved in the game than Haaland, even though both can end matches with the same scoring output.
“I see myself as a different player, even if I score the same amount of goals,” he said. “I think maybe I get involved a little more in the game than him.”
England is chasing a step it has not taken since 2018
The match carries extra weight for England, which is trying to reach its first World Cup semifinal since Russia 2018. That tournament ended with a loss to Croatia at the same stage, and Kane said the team now feels better prepared.
“In 2018 we were a young and inexperienced team, but we have played two big finals in the last three tournaments, one World Cup semifinal and other quarterfinals. We are more prepared this time,” the Bayern Munich forward said.
More experience, more pressure
England comes into the quarterfinal after back-to-back Euro final runs, including the last one in 2024. It also reached the quarterfinals at Qatar 2022, which adds to the sense that the squad has become more accustomed to the late stages of major tournaments.
| Player | Goals at This World Cup | Key Note |
|---|---|---|
| Harry Kane | 6 in 5 matches | Says his main goal is to win the World Cup with England |
| Erling Haaland | Not specified in the article | Kane describes him as physically dominant and an elite finisher |
Kane made clear that the trophy matters more to him than any individual scoring race. “My main objective is to win the World Cup with England, not the Golden Boot,” he said, while adding that goals still matter because he is the team’s No. 9.
That balance between personal output and collective ambition now sits at the center of England’s biggest test of the tournament. If the team gets past Norway, it will move one step closer to the semifinal return it has been chasing for eight years.
